4 Flyovers To Be Demolished For New ₹4,000-Crore Bridge In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Sanjay Shirsat

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the construction of Marathwada’s longest continuous flyover, stretching from Shendra to Bajaj Nagar (Oasis Chowk), during the Marathwada Liberation Day event. Guardian Minister Sanjay Shirsat provided further details on Saturday, stating that the continuous flyover is essential to ease traffic congestion. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been prepared, and the tender for the ₹4,000-crore project will be floated within the next three months.

Shirsat also said that four flyovers on Jalna Road, built at a cost of approximately ₹135 crore and with a projected lifespan of 80 to 100 years, will have to be demolished within just 10 to 15 years to make way for the new bridge.

To ease traffic congestion on Jalna Road, four flyovers were constructed between 1985 and 2015 at CIDCO Bus Stand, Mondha Naka, Kranti Chowk and Mahavir Chowk. The administration at the time spent approximately ₹135 crore on these flyovers, which range from 500 to 1,000 metres in length and 12 to 15 metres in width.

The old flyover constructed in 2012 had obscured the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, sparking considerable displeasure among his admirers. Consequently, a grand statue of Maharaj was recently installed on a raised pedestal at a cost of crores of rupees. Notably, the flyover had been built on both sides of the statue.

Now, if the old bridge is demolished and replaced by a new, taller, wider and continuous flyover, will Maharaj’s statue once again end up beneath the new structure? While preparing the DPR, a key question will be whether the new flyover should be constructed on both sides of the statue, as it is currently, keeping the sensitive issue in mind.

Jalna Road, stretching from Shendra to Waluj, serves as the city’s main artery. Currently, between 2.5 lakh and 3 lakh vehicles ply this route daily. The traffic comprises 60% two-wheelers, 20% cars, 10% auto-rickshaws and 10% heavy vehicles. During peak hours, thousands of vehicles traverse the stretch every hour.

The demolition of the old bridges and construction of the ₹4,000-crore continuous flyover will take at least three to five years. Diverting heavy traffic from Jalna Road onto alternative routes during this period could put severe pressure on the city’s already narrow internal roads. A senior traffic police official expressed concern over how these roads would cope with the additional traffic.

A flyover was also constructed at Seven Hills. Bridges are generally designed with a lifespan of at least 100 years, yet within barely 15 years, the structure is now being considered inadequate and may have to be demolished. The proposed project has therefore raised questions over the planning of the earlier flyovers, as well as the additional public expenditure and traffic disruption that their demolition and reconstruction could entail.