A newly built railway overbridge (RoB) near Aishbagh Stadium in Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, has come under heavy criticism even before its official opening. The 648-metre-long and 8.5-metre-wide bridge was built at a cost of Rs 18 crore to reduce traffic problems in the city. However, a sharp 90-degree turn at one end of the bridge has raised safety concerns among people.

The overbridge is meant to help ease traffic and reduce waiting time at the Aishbagh railway crossing. It connects areas like Mahamai Ka Bagh, Pushpa Nagar, the station zone, and New Bhopal. The state government has said that once opened, the RoB will help nearly 3 lakh people every day by cutting down travel time.

Construction of the bridge began in March 2023 and was completed recently. But instead of praise, the bridge is now facing questions due to its unusual design.

Social media users slam the design

Many people on social media have shared their worries about the 90-degree turn on the bridge. Some even fear that it may lead to accidents.

One user, Manish Chaudhary, wrote on platform X, “This is Bhopal’s Aishbagh Rail Overbridge — which PWD took 10 years to complete, as if it’s some kind of ‘engineering miracle’. When power is in the hands of corrupt governments, when plans are made by incompetent planners who are confined to books, and when engineers earn degrees not by merit but by donation, you get disasters instead of bridges. The 90-degree turn is an invitation for accidents.”

Another user, Mukesh, commented, “Death will arrive at a 90-degree angle. This is the angle of development that has emerged in the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. Rs 18 crore has been spent on the bridge.”

Government defends the sharp turn

Despite the criticism, officials in charge of the project say there were valid reasons for the design. VD Verma, Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department (Bridge Department), told news agency PTI, “Due to the metro station, there is limited availability of land at the point. Due to the lack of land, there was no other option. The purpose of the RoB is to connect the two colonies.”

He added that only small vehicles will be allowed on the bridge and safety rules will be followed. “It will be operated with full safety,” he said.

When asked about the matter, PWD Minister Rakesh Singh said, “After a bridge is built, experts suddenly appear and say such things. A lot of technical aspects are taken into consideration while building any bridge. If this is an allegation, it will be investigated.”

The bridge was built after local residents demanded a solution following the closure of the Aishbagh railway crossing, which caused major trouble for daily travellers.

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