The newly opened 5.4km double-decker flyover on Kamptee Road has greatly eased traffic congestion at key locations such as LIC Square, Teka Naka, Indora Chowk, Kadbi Chowk, and Gaddigodam. However, as predicted by Jan Aakrosh, a road safety NGO, and earlier reported by a local daily, the stretch between LIC Square and Samvidhan Square has become chaotic.
Two days after the flyover was inaugurated by Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari on October 5, TOI traversed the stretch from Automotive Square to Samvidhan Square to assess the situation. Traffic head constables Pankaj Padgilwar and Rajendra Nandurkar, stationed at Automotive Square, confirmed a dramatic improvement.
As per the media report, traffic head constables Pankaj Padgilwar and Rajendra Nandurkar, stationed at Automotive Square, confirmed a significant improvement in traffic flow.
“Earlier, managing the heavy flow of vehicles during peak hours was challenging, especially during VIP movements. But since the flyover opened, congestion has eased significantly,” said Padgilwar. The smoother traffic flow was noticeable at busy spots like Teka Naka, Kadbi Chowk, Indora, and Gaddigodam, with local shopkeepers sharing similar views. Chandu Mandle, a pan shop owner near Teka Naka, remarked, “Traffic has reduced drastically in the past two days.”
Despite the relief in other areas, the stretch between LIC Square and Samvidhan Square has become a new traffic bottleneck. The increase in vehicles from Kamptee Road is causing confusion, largely due to the poorly designed landing of the Sadar Y-shaped flyover near Kasturchand Park metro station. Traffic police report that vehicles coming off the Sadar flyover are now being forced to wait on the flyover itself because the road between Kasturchand Park and Samvidhan Square cannot handle the increased traffic.
The situation has become so precarious that LIC Square is now being managed manually by traffic cops to prevent long queues from spilling into the Samvidhan junction. Furthermore, the traffic signal cycle at RBI Square has been adjusted to two minutes, with one minute allotted to clear vehicles heading towards LIC Square. Even with these efforts, congestion remains a challenge. A study conducted by Jan Aakrosh had anticipated these issues, predicting severe traffic jams between RBI Square and the junction where Kamptee Road meets the flyover coming from Koradi.
The situation has become so critical that LIC Square is now being manually managed by traffic police to prevent long queues from extending into the Samvidhan Square junction. Additionally, the traffic signal at RBI Square has been adjusted to a two-minute cycle, with one minute dedicated to clearing vehicles heading towards LIC Square. Despite these efforts, congestion remains a persistent issue. A study conducted by Jan Aakrosh had foreseen these challenges, predicting severe traffic jams between RBI Square and the junction where Kamptee Road meets the flyover from Koradi.
The study mentioned that the poorly designed landing of the Sadar flyover, along with rerouting traffic through Residency Road, would make congestion worse at key intersections like LIC and Samvidhan Square. The important 40-meter stretch between these two squares is having trouble handling the extra traffic, especially when the signal for vehicles heading to Wardha Road turns red. Also, vehicles coming off the Sadar flyover and reaching RBI Square are adding to the traffic. As expected, drivers are now facing long waits during busy hours.
The partial closure of one side of Kamptee Road between RBI Square and LIC Square due to construction issues on the Sadar flyover has caused rerouting, putting more strain on the city’s road network. Traffic police are making adjustments, but the congestion in this area highlights the ongoing difficulties faced by both city planners and drivers.