Closure of Shivajinagar underpass causes chaos for citizens, students, and the elderly

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The railway administration began repair work on the cement road inside the Shivajinagar underpass on Saturday morning, where earlier maintenance had been carried out. The underpass was closed for two days, but thousands of citizens were unaware of this. As usual, when commuters arrived at the underpass entrance with their vehicles, they were shocked to find barricades blocking the road. With traffic jams making it impossible to divert to the Sangramnagar flyover, frustration among citizens erupted. Some motorists broke through the barricades to open the route, but it was soon closed again, worsening the inconvenience.

The underpass was shut at 9:30 am on Saturday for two days, disrupting the movement of thousands of commuters traveling between the bypass and the city. Long queues of vehicles formed on both sides, and turning back was not an option. Angry citizens argued with the staff manning the barricades. Many had not read the newspaper and were unaware of the closure, which only intensified their anger. Eventually, some frustrated commuters removed the barricades to pass through, allowing hundreds of vehicles to move, but the route was sealed off again shortly afterward.

Excavation at the center of the underpass

The cement road at the center of the underpass, where railway work had previously been done, was broken up using a breaker machine. Debris from the damaged section was removed with the help of a JCB machine. Officials said a new road surface would be laid there. However, citizens questioned how the work could be completed within 24 hours and whether the road would truly reopen afterward. Notably, no responsible railway officials were present at the site.

Severe inconvenience for office-goers and students

Many citizens suffered due to the closure. On Saturday morning, several school students were on their way to the Dr. Homi Bhabha examination, but the traffic jam delayed them. Parents pleaded with authorities to let them pass, but permission was denied. Elderly citizens heading to hospitals and private employees commuting to work were also trapped in the chaos. Some were forced to walk across the underpass area to reach the other side.

Traffic gridlock on Sangramnagar Flyover

Once the Shivajinagar underpass was closed, heavy traffic congestion extended from Shahanoormiya Dargah Chowk and the Sangramnagar Flyover all the way up to Yogiraj Hanstirth Chowk. The jam continued throughout the day, with vehicles taking at least one to one and a half hours to pass through. Authorities expect the same situation to persist on Sunday as well.