Nagpur Traffic Chaos: Ajni Underpass Work Triggers Major Congestion
Traffic chaos erupted in front of Ajni Railway Station in Nagpur after the Public Works Department (PWD) closed the FCI Road to Congress Nagar stretch near Ajni Bridge Square. This critical junction, one of the city's busiest, was shut down to assess traffic conditions ahead of groundwork for a proposed vehicular underpass.
Domino Effect of Road Closure
The closure triggered a domino effect, with heavy traffic jams reported throughout the day. Several motorists began driving on the wrong side to reach Congress Nagar, worsening congestion on the already narrow road in front of the station. The problem was aggravated as the divider cutting for the FCI to Congress Nagar route is located nearly 500 metres away from the closed section.
Once a vehicle entered the wrong side, the driver had no option but to continue forward until the next divider opening, adding significantly to the traffic mess.
Details of the Infrastructure Project
The underpass is part of a ₹35 crore project that also includes widening the stretch from Ajni Bridge to TB Ward Square into a six-lane road. The widened corridor will be connected to the under-construction Ajni twin cable-stayed bridges being built by the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MRIDC).
The underpass is planned to facilitate smoother traffic flow between Congress Nagar and FCI Road. Vehicles coming from Kriplani Square will be able to move towards Ajni Bridge over the proposed underpass, which is likely to be constructed in eight months.
On-Ground Observations and Official Statements
On Thursday, observations revealed that the stretch between Ajni Bridge (from the FCI side) and Congress Nagar was completely closed for traffic. Motorists coming from FCI or Ajni Bridge and heading towards Congress Nagar were expected to take a detour towards Kriplani Square, take a U-turn, and then proceed using a newly created road cutting.
Instead of following the designated diversion, many motorists drove on the wrong side on the Congress Nagar to Ajni Bridge stretch in front of Ajni Station. This resulted in severe congestion and bumper-to-bumper traffic throughout the day.
A senior PWD official emphasized that the underpass construction is very critical to ease congestion at the Ajni Bridge Square. "The underpass is likely to be constructed in eight months. We are mulling closing the square for the duration of the work. Also, digging a six-metre tunnel is very risky amid heavy traffic movement," the official stated.
Traffic Police Response and Challenges
Sitabuldi zone traffic PI Aniruddha Puri confirmed that traffic personnel were deployed at the spot to manage the situation. "Despite clear signage and traffic cops stopping motorists, they continued to drive on the wrong side and even argued with the personnel. Driving on the wrong side could lead to accidents," he said.
Puri added that earlier a divider cutting on the Ajni Bridge to Kriplani Square stretch was temporarily opened to ease traffic movement. "This was done to provide traffic coming from FCI or Ajni Bridge a turn before Kriplani Square for the newly-constructed road for Congress Nagar and ahead. However, motorists coming from Kriplani Square used the cutting to enter the wrong side towards FCI or Ajni Bridge. So, we had to close the cutting," Puri explained.
The traffic chaos highlights the challenges of implementing major infrastructure projects in densely populated urban areas, with motorists' non-compliance exacerbating congestion issues.
