Massive Crane Blocks Nagpur Road, Triggers Hours-Long Traffic Chaos
Nagpur's Pachpaoli area witnessed severe traffic gridlock on Sunday as a colossal 700-tonne crane completely blocked a narrow stretch near a railway crossing, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded for several hours. The incident has ignited fresh outrage among local residents and motorists, who are pointing fingers at significant safety and planning failures in the ongoing Rs998-crore Indora-Dighori flyover project.
Project Execution Under Fire
Sunday's extensive traffic snarl adds to a growing list of complaints from Nagpur residents who argue that the execution of the ambitious flyover project, being implemented by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), has repeatedly led to major traffic disruptions across the city. According to a senior official from the contractor's firm, the massive crane was deployed for critical work over the railway crossings late on Saturday night specifically to avoid disruption to Eid celebrations.
The official explained, "The installation and removal process each takes nearly four hours due to the heavy counterweights involved. We anticipated that there would be significantly less traffic on Sunday morning. Since the crane was installed late, the removal process was also delayed, which ultimately led to the traffic jam. The crane was finally removed by 12 noon, after which the situation was resolved."
Repeated Safety Concerns and Protests
The official further maintained that the road would need to be closed down multiple times in the coming days before the work could be completed by the June deadline. This incident also sparked protests by a local political group, with residents accusing authorities of poor coordination and blatant disregard for public inconvenience. Many are questioning why such large-scale operations were undertaken without adequate traffic diversion plans or prior public notice.
This is not an isolated incident. Just days earlier, during post-Holi operations, heavy counterweights were observed suspended mid-air without proper barricading or cordoning of the area. Pedestrians were forced to walk directly beneath the suspended load, creating a serious risk of a catastrophic accident and highlighting glaring safety oversights.
About the Indora-Dighori Corridor Project
The Indora–Dighori corridor project is a major infrastructure initiative that includes two significant flyovers:
- One from Kamal Chowk to Reshimbagh Square
- Another from Bhande Plot to Dighori
The project's primary objective is to ease chronic traffic congestion in east Nagpur and improve connectivity between several densely populated areas. However, with repeated traffic chaos and inadequate safety safeguards, local residents are increasingly raising serious questions about oversight, accountability, and the overall management of this critical public works project.
