Jabalpur, Aug 22 A day before Union Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav are scheduled to inaugurate the state's longest flyover in Jabalpur district on Saturday, a political controversy erupted over venue for the inauguration event.
A group of Jabalpur Congress workers on Friday held a protest, raising questions on section of the venue.
As the event is being organised in the middle of the road, vehicular movement on several roads have been blocked three days before the event.
Protesting Congress workers demanded that the event should be organised at some other place.
They also cited Madhya Pradesh High Court's ruling prohibiting blocking of roads for any event.
A similar protest was held on Thursday night also when a group of Jabalpur district Congress workers removed police barricades and raised slogans against the BJP.
In a video surfaced on social media, Congress workers heard raising slogan -- "vote choron, rasta kholo (vote thieves, clear road)".
Taking to social media platform X on Friday, senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha wrote, "Jabalpur Congress workers taught BJP a lesson; don't trouble the city's people in the name of flyover's inauguration. This event could be organised in any hall. Blocking traffic in advance is not appropriate."
However, it is not the first time when political controversy erupted particularly on this newly constructed seven-km-long flyover in Jabalpur, the longest such structure in Madhya Pradesh which also features a single-span cable-stayed bridge.
Two months ago, a group of Congress workers had tried to inaugurate the bridge at Madan Mahal, however, they were stopped by the police.
The Congress alleged that flyover's inauguration had been delayed due to conflict within the BJP.
Meanwhile, former Madhya Pradesh BJP President and State Public Works Department Minister Rakesh Singh, who is from Jabalpur, on Friday said, "Madhya Pradesh's sanskardhani Jabalpur is set to witness a historic development with inauguration of the state's longest flyover on August 23."
Built between Madan Mahal and Damoh Naka, the elevated corridor is 6.855-km-long and has been constructed at a cost of about Rs 1,052 crore, the state government said, adding the project marks a milestone in modern urban traffic management and development.
The flyover will reduce the travel time between Madan Mahal and Damoh Naka from 40-45 minutes now to just six to seven minutes, leading to saving of time and fuel as well as lower pollution levels, the officials said.
A key feature of the project is a 192-metre single-span cable-stayed bridge built over a railway line.
The corridor also includes three bow-string bridges -- two at Ranital and one at Baldeobagh -- each 70 metres long and constructed entirely of steel.
Facilities such as a basketball court, open gym and children's park have also been developed beneath the structure.
Ten directional sign boards have been installed to ease travel.
The project blends modern infrastructure with Jabalpur's cultural and historical heritage and is expected to support business activity and enhance commuting convenience for citizens and tourists, officials added.
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