Laxman Jhula Opening Hinge On PWD’s Ajni Bridge Approach Work | Nagpur News

Nagpur: The opening of the first phase of the Rs332-crore Laxman Jhula cable-stayed bridge at Ajni may be delayed as crucial approach road works being executed by the Public Works Department (PWD) remain stalled over pending railway land clearance.Sources said the requirement was identified more than 18 months ago, but little progress has been made in securing the land. “PWD officials have not even met the DRM (CR) to discuss the issue. The delay could affect both the road-widening project and opening of the Laxman Jhula,” sources said.A senior PWD official admitted the issue is yet to be pursued at the highest level. “We require railway land on lease for road widening and construction of approaches to the bridge. A meeting with the DRM (CR) will be scheduled soon, and the matter will also be taken up with higher authorities,” the official said.The six-lane bridge is being constructed by Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (MRIDC), popularly known as MahaRail. To maintain traffic flow on one of the city’s busiest corridors, the project is being executed in phases.In the first phase, a new three-lane carriageway is being built alongside the 125-year-old British-era Ajni bridge. Once completed, traffic in both directions will be shifted to the new structure, allowing demolition of the old bridge and construction of the second carriageway. After completion of the project, the two carriageways will carry one-way traffic, significantly improving connectivity between central and south Nagpur.However, the first phase lacks independent approach roads and depends on a separate Rs35-crore PWD project comprising an underpass near Ajni Bridge Square and widening of the road between Ajni Bridge and TB Ward Square.The underpass is expected to improve connectivity between Congress Nagar and Chuna Bhati. Vehicles travelling between Kriplani Square and Ajni Bridge will use the facility, reducing traffic conflicts and easing congestion at the junction.The PWD is also widening the existing 18-metre road from Ajni Bridge to TB Ward Square to 30 metres, converting it into a six-lane corridor that will serve as the bridge approach. The work, however, requires railway land on lease as parts of the proposed widening fall within railway limits.