Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Indore Bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court has not imposed any stay on the proposed elevated corridor between LIG Square and Navlakha Square on the Indore BRTS route.
The court heard a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by engineer Atul Seth on Thursday and decided to link the matter with other pending cases related to BRTS and traffic management. The next hearing has been scheduled for February 25.
Appearing for the petitioner, advocate Abhinav Dhanotkar argued that the two surveys conducted for the proposed elevated corridor do not establish its practical utility. He submitted that if construction work begins despite flaws in the surveys, the issuance of the notice inviting tender (NIT) would make future corrections difficult or impossible.
During the hearing, the court observed that the elevated corridor was not part of the original plan but has now been approved as a policy decision of the State government. The bench made it clear that courts generally do not interfere in policy matters. However, the petitioner reiterated that at the very least, the surveys should be accurate, as the corridor s feasibility and usefulness are still unclear.
After hearing the arguments, the court fixed February 25 as the next date of hearing.
It is noteworthy that in February 2025, a decision was taken to remove the BRTS corridor in the city, which also received approval from the High Court. However, the railings have not yet completely been removed from the entire 11.20-kilometre stretch. The issue is sub-juidce.
In the previous hearing, officials informed the court that construction work on a 6-kilometre stretch of the proposed elevated corridor is scheduled to begin from February 15. Consequently, railings have been removed from the remaining approximately 3-kilometre stretch, excluding the portion earmarked for the elevated corridor.
Elevated corridor work resumes after four-year delay
After being stalled for nearly four years, work on Indore’s long-pending elevated corridor has finally begun at the ground level. The Public Works Department (PWD) has initiated soil testing for the 7.40-kilometre-long corridor connecting AB Road to Navlakha, marking the first visible progress on the project.
Currently, soil testing is underway at selected stretches, where portions of the road have been temporarily covered with iron sheets. PWD officials confirmed that foundation work is scheduled to commence from February 15. Central line marking for the corridor has already been completed.
The Rs 350-crore project had been on hold since February 2021, despite the work order being awarded to Gujarat-based Rajkamal Builders. Delays occurred due to repeated design modifications, disputes related to bus routes, traffic management concerns, and legal challenges that reached the High Court. The project has now been cleared after the state government decided to proceed with the original design.
The breakthrough followed a review by Urban Administration Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya and subsequent approval from Collector Shivam Verma. Officials stated that no further design changes will be entertained.
PWD has cautioned commuters about minor traffic disruptions during soil testing. A detailed traffic diversion plan will be issued once excavation begins, officials added.
