Now, Gaps Emerge On Pardi Flyover
While commuters have raised concerns about the gaps on the busy stretch, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), which implemented the project, has claimed that there is no cause for alarm.
TOI visited the spot on Friday and observed a big gap between the two spans of the flyover on the Itwari or Wardhaman Nagar leg. Apart from this, a gap was also observed on the joint at the rotary from legs coming from Manewada and Central Avenue sides.
These gaps have raised serious concerns among commuters, who claimed that they could lead to accidents or cause their valuables, like mobiles or other materials, to fall into them.
Since the five-legged flyover, dubbed as 'Khekda Flyover' for its crab-like structure, was announced, it has faced several controversies. The work on the 7 km flyover started in 2016 and was expected to be completed by 2019, but after missing multiple deadlines caused by complications, including changes in design and utility shifting, the bridge was finally completed after almost a decade.
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The flyover was initially to be constructed at a cost of Rs448 crore, but the cost escalated to over Rs600 crore.
A span of the bridge collapsed in October 2021 during construction. The NHAI finally opened the Itwari (Wardhaman Nagar), Kalamna, and Bhandara Road legs of the flyover in September 2023, while the remaining two legs — Manewada and Central Avenue — were opened in February this year.
On the next day of its opening, a large chunk of loose concrete fell on a car passing below, damaging it completely.
The issue has been primarily witnessed on the leg that was opened in September 2023.
A senior NHAI official said that there is no need for alarm. "The gap in the joints is visible because of the rubber seal falling. We will soon install the rubber seals again. There is no problem with the structural integrity of the flyover," said the official.
However, locals and commuters are not convinced. "Since the flyover has opened, one issue or another is arising in it. It already took a decade to complete, and now these things are happening, raising serious questions about the quality of the work," said a commuter.
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