The long-awaited RTO Flyover is nearing completion, with the final slab work at Ravi Nagar Square set to begin soon. The National Highway (NH) division of the state PWD, which is handling the project, plans to open the flyover by the end of May. PWD sources confirmed that preparations for laying the slab using Ultra High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC), also known as Malaysian Technology, are now complete.
“It is a complex process, but we have made the preparations and will start the work soon. After the slab is laid over Ravi Nagar, the slab work of the complete flyover will be over. After this, only the construction of retaining wall for landing near RTO will have to done. The retaining wall will be built after the current 50-year-old bridge near RTO is replaced with a new one,” said a PWD official.
According to media report, the 2.85 km long RTO flyover, extending from University Campus Square to just before Bhole Petrol Pump Square on Amravati Road, is being constructed at a cost of ₹245 crore. It was planned alongside the Wadi flyover under the ₹478 crore Amravati Road Traffic Improvement Project (ARTIP) to ease congestion on the busy route.
Both flyovers are key components of the ARTIP, led by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). Once the slab over Ravi Nagar is completed, the PWD will begin rebuilding another decades-old bridge near Ravi Nagar. Both old bridges are being reconstructed at a cost of ₹1 crore each.
The PWD has missed the deadline of February 28 to open the RTO flyover due to multiple hurdles, including tree-cutting permission, land acquisition, and other works. “We plan to open the flyover for motorists by May-end, but the remaining work, including road construction, laying the footpath below the flyover, and others, will be completed by the end of July,” said PWD sources.
PWD officials stated that they are facing difficulties in obtaining tree-cutting permission from the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). “We have had multiple meetings with civic officials. For the project, we needed to cut 127 trees, and NMC required us to plant 4,445 trees as compensation. So far, we have planted 4,100 trees at various locations, including the university campus, LIT College, and other sites,” an official said.
“All of them are in good condition and are yielding fruits. The NMC is giving permission for tree cutting in phases; so far, we have received permission for 82 trees, but for the remaining ones, they are making us do the rounds,” said the official, adding that NMC officials repeatedly ask us for the plans which forces us to revise them.
The PWD official said that they have informed NMC that this leads to project delays, which costs public money. “Contractors claim huge compensation from us, when projects are delayed due to unavailability of land. This leads to wastage of public money,” said the official. An NMC official said that tree-cutting permission is given only after following due process. “The PWD will receive permission for cutting a few trees as its public hearing has been completed and other procedures are underway,” the official said.
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