The Freedom Park underpass project in Nagpur that aims to connect Manas Chowk near Loha Pul to the Institute of Science to alleviate traffic congestion and enhance connectivity has been brought to a halt. Development of the 870m tunnel route has been halted following social activist Dr. Jaydeep Das’s letter on March 7. Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court took suo motu cognizance of the letter and appointed Advocate Kuldeep Mahalle as an amicus curiae.
Dr. Das had questioned the choice of route for the underpass, highlighting its under-utilization and recent completion in September 2021 by Maha Metro after repeated reminders from civic authorities. Talking to Lokmattimes.com, he said that digging up a newly constructed road to make an underpass showed a lack of planning on the part of MahaMetro. Das pointed that there are several parallel routes to divert traffic moving from LIC Square to Variety Square. “Congestion occurs only on the left-hand turn towards Manas Chowk on the route from LIC Square to Sitabuldi. However, constructing an underpass is not feasible here as the construction project will cut off traffic from the Manas Chowk underpass, causing serious traffic issues for commuters from the other side of the city,” he said.
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Citing various media reports highlighting the poor conditions of the Manish Nagar and Manas Chowk underpasses, Das questioned the need for constructing another one. He pointed out that the underpass in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, had proven to be hazardous, especially during the rainy season. Referring to a study of five metro stations in New Delhi by the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), Das argued that building more underpasses or flyovers was not going to solve the traffic issues. “Authorities should focus on promoting a shift in behavior among citizens by improving connectivity to existing metro stations,” he said.
The MahaMetro website mentions that the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has approved the construction of the Futala Lake under Tunnel with a viewing gallery, as well as improvements to the Nagpur Railway Station and Jaistambh Chowk junction. The Central Road Fund allocated to the Maharashtra Public Works Department will also be used to enhance the road from Manas Chowk to Jaistambh Chowk. Although the underpass project was scheduled to commence on March 5, it was postponed due to concerns about disrupting commuters during the ongoing cement road construction from the VCA complex to Maharajbagh square.