The first phase of the much-awaited six-lane twin cable-stayed bridge at Ajni, popularly referred to as the ‘Laxman Jhula’, is likely to miss its pre-monsoon completion target as significant work still remains pending at the site.
The Rs 332-crore project is being developed to replace the 125-year-old British-era Ajni railway overbridge (RoB). The bridge is being constructed by Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MRIDC), also known as MahaRail, on the lines of the Ram Jhula near Nagpur railway station.
Under the first phase, one side of the bridge consisting of three lanes is being constructed to facilitate two-way traffic. The second carriageway will be taken up after the demolition of the existing Ajni bridge. Once fully completed, both carriageways will be used for one-way traffic movement.
The project has faced repeated delays due to several challenges, including design modifications linked to parallel infrastructure projects in the area, complexities involved in construction over a busy railway line, and delays in securing statutory approvals for the cable-stayed structure.
According to sources, MRIDC has completed the construction of two major abutments on either side of the railway tracks, while work on the central pylon is currently in progress.
“There are three supports for the bridge, out of which two have been completed, while work on the middle one is ongoing. The remaining pylon work is expected to take approximately one month. Meanwhile, pre-casting of the slabs has been done, and girders are also getting ready,” a source said.
Despite progress in major structural works, several important components are yet to be completed. Though MRIDC has not officially announced a revised completion timeline, sources indicated that the first phase may now be completed only by the end of the year.
The existing Ajni RoB, located between Ajni and Khapri railway stations on Central Railway’s Nagpur-Wardha section, has long been a major traffic bottleneck after exceeding its intended design life.
Construction of the replacement bridge began in April 2023. MahaRail had initially planned to open one side of the bridge by October 2025, but the deadline was later shifted to March 2026 and subsequently to the pre-monsoon period. However, a recent visit to the site showed that considerable work still remains, making it unlikely that the revised target will be achieved.
Once completed, the twin cable-stayed bridge is expected to reduce traffic congestion significantly and improve connectivity between South and Central Nagpur.
The project is also being promoted as a new architectural landmark for the city, featuring LED theme lighting, footpaths on both sides, and dedicated selfie points.
One of the major advantages of the phased construction approach is that traffic diversions have not been required, as work is progressing alongside the existing bridge.
The bridge design was prepared by a Taiwan-based firm and later approved by IIT Bombay. However, the technically challenging nature of the cable-stayed structure and the need for multiple approvals have contributed to delays in the project’s execution.
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