PWD to build new bridge on Kanhan River

November 12, 2013

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Ashish Roy, TNN |

NAGPUR: Regular travelers to Kanhan and beyond have a reason to cheer as public works department (PWD) has decided to build a new bridge on Kanhan River on Jabalpur road (NH7). The existing bridge is extremely narrow and its life is almost over. Traffic jams have become a regular feature on this bridge.Meanwhile, regional office of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), set up in city just 18 months ago, has been shifted to Mumbai.

A PWD official said tenders for the bridge would be floated soon. “We had submitted the proposal to state government months ago. State government wanted Centre to fund the project but the latter was reluctant. Finally, Centre cleared the proposal on September 23,” he said.

The new bridge will be a two lane structure and its length will be 390 metres. Bridge users will not be required to wait at the railway level crossing. Its cost is Rs 46.46 crore of which Rs 36 crore is the work and remaining land acquisition cost and other charges. “We will have to acquire railway land on Kamptee side and Nagpur University and private land on Kanhan side,” the official said. The fate of the old bridge will be decided after the new one is opened for traffic. Going by the past experience the new bridge will likely take four to five years for completion.

There is another good news for citizens. “Central government had issued a circular in 1988 whereby state governments were to maintain roads constructed by NHAI. However, most state governments did not follow the circular and demanded that NHAI maintain the roads. Now Centre has agreed to take over maintenance of NHAI roads,” a NHAI official told TOI.

The official further said the regional office would shift to Mumbai from November 16. “It will not affect the local projects as the project director’s office at Hill Top will remain here. The western region office was monitoring projects all over Maharashtra. As all regional offices are located in state capitals, Maharashtra’s office too is being shifted to Mumbai. The office strength was only around 15, most of whom were senior officials,” he said.