MahaMetro appoints DDC to fix faulty Sadar flyover landing; topography study begins

Nagpur: The MahaMetro has appointed Astrum Techno Consultants Pvt Ltd as the Detailed Design Consultant (DDC) to resolve the long-pending issue of the Sadar flyover 's faulty landing. Groundwork began soon after the ₹35 lakh tender was allotted to the firm on Monday.

According to a senior MahaMetro official, a meeting was convened with the team from Astrum Techno at the Metro office on Monday. The officials decided to start the topography study of the existing site the next day. The study, to be conducted jointly by the newly appointed DDC and the Metro team, will help the consultants understand the terrain, existing structures, and traffic movement patterns before proposing remedial engineering designs.

"The topography study will continue for around 10 days. During this, we will examine the height, width, length, and carriageway of the existing structure, along with identifying what additional elements are needed to ease congestion and modify the flyover," the official added.

The 3.96-km-long Y-shaped flyover, built at a cost of ₹219 crore by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to decongest the busy Sadar junction, has faced operational issues due to its improper landing alignment. This has created bottlenecks and safety hazards for traffic merging onto Kamptee Road from RBI Square to LIC Square.

Since its commissioning in January 2020, the structure has drawn criticism from commuters, traffic police, and urban planners. MahaMetro decided to initiate corrective measures following Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's announcement on rectification.

Once the topographical data is mapped, the consultant is expected to prepare alternative design proposals for realigning the landing in a way that resolves the current bottleneck without affecting traffic flow on the already operational structure.

The official also said, "Preparing the design and drawings will take another 15–20 days, after which we can share the plans with stakeholders, including NMC, NHAI, and others, by mid-October. If land acquisition is required for the modifications, we will also share those details with NMC."

Sources said that once the design is finalised, MahaMetro will decide on execution timelines and funding arrangements.

Officials stated that the immediate focus is on gathering accurate site data and understanding design constraints, following which a concrete action plan will be drawn up.