Bhopal’s controversial rail overbridge, which has long been the subject of social media memes and public criticism for its “90-degree” design, is back in the news for yet another unusual reason. In a recent hearing, an expert informed the Madhya Pradesh court that the structure does not have a 90-degree turn, but rather a sharp bend of 118–119 degrees. The Madhya Pradesh government has asked the court for more time to review its decision to blacklist a company linked to the controversial bridge.
An expert, who is a professor at Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology in Bhopal, submitted a report to the High Court bench of Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdev and Justice Vinay Saraf on Wednesday.
The company, M/s Puneet Chadha, which built the flyover in Aishbagh, Bhopal, had gone to the High Court after being blacklisted. The controversy was over a sharp “right-angle” turn on the bridge. The court then asked for an expert report.
After the submission of the report, which the expert says that the bridge has a turn of 118-119 degrees, the Madhya Pradesh government sought time from the court to rethink the action against the company. The court accepted the request and scheduled the next hearing on September 17. The court also directed that copies of the report be provided to all parties.
The Story
Bhopal’s 90-degree railway overbridge (ROB), which has been embroiled in controversy for a long time, is now moving towards a new design. After constant criticism, viral pictures and being in the national media, the Central Expert Committee has recommended improvements in the dangerous design of the bridge. The committee has suggested increasing the existing 6 meter turn to 16.7 meters. With this amendment, this sharp turn will now end and travel will be safer than ever for heavy vehicles.
This overbridge connects densely populated areas like Aishbagh, where there is heavy traffic pressure every day. Due to flaws in its design, people had to face constant jams and the risk of accidents. For a long time, local residents and daily commuters were raising their voice about this problem. Now they are expected to get a lot of relief from the proposed changes.
