After Bhopal's 90-Degree Flyover, Z-Shaped Railway Overbridge In Indore

After the controversial 90-degree bridge in Bhopal's Aishbagh, a new Railway Over Bridge (ROB) under construction in Indore has triggered a debate and become a matter of concern. The Public Works Department (PWD) is building a Z-shaped bridge near Polo Ground, surprising residents and experts alike with its sharp, 90-degree turns at two points.

The ROB, designed to connect Laxmibai Nagar to Polo Ground via Bhagirathpura and MR-4, features a 90-degree angle on the arm from Laxmibai Nagar and another sharp turn towards MR-4. Local truck drivers and industrial representatives fear these turns could become accident hotspots once operational.

A truck driver near the railway goods warehouse told NDTV that maneuvering fully loaded vehicles through these sharp turns would prove to be extremely difficult and dangerous. "If an accident happens, we will not be responsible. The government will have to answer," the driver warned, not seeking to be named.

Indore MP Shankar Lalwani, who reviewed the bridge map during a government meeting in June, said he has written to the state's Public Works Minister and asked him to change the design. "I have asked the officials to rectify this dangerous turn to prevent potential accidents and traffic chaos," Lalwani said.

Amid growing criticism, PWD officials have promised to reassess the design. Executive Engineer Gurmeet Kaur Bhatia said, "We are re-examining the design following concerns raised in the media. Necessary improvements will be made if required."

Leaders from the Polo Ground Industrialists Welfare Association have also objected to the construction. President Dhananjay Chinchalkar pointed out the steep slope and sharp turns, emphasising that "accidents are certain" if the current design is implemented.

The matter has also taken a politician turn. Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma took a jibe at the state government, saying, "The city's minister must be asleep, or the PWD minister is out of his senses. It looks like Indore engineers are trying to outdo Bhopal's blunder by adding not one but two 90-degree turns."

PWD Minister Rakesh Singh, however, clarified that the bridge's design incorporates a turning radius of 20 meters, which, according to him, meets engineering standards. He said: "There is superelevation, and the design speed is set at 20 kmph. Sometimes, we have to adjust to available space."

The controversy echoes the fiasco in Bhopal, where the 90-degree Aishbagh ROB attracted public ridicule and led to the suspension of seven engineers, including two chief engineers.

As construction continues, Indore's Z-shaped ROB stands as a sharp reminder - both literally and figuratively - of the balance that must be struck between urban planning and public safety.
 

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