Nagpur: A Rs48 lakh bridge in Prabhag 38 has remained incomplete for months, with the shifting of underground utilities emerging as a major hurdle. The delay has raised questions about infrastructure planning by Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) as residents of Dadaji Nagar, Swastik Nagar and adjoining localities continue to struggle with damaged roads and poor connectivity despite repeated complaints to civic officials.Construction of the bridge, which began in March, was initially held up because a 500mm-diameter water pipeline obstructed the work. The pipeline has recently been shifted. Now, the NMC has identified an electric cable that needs relocation before construction of the bridge can proceed. The process to shift the cable has been initiated, a senior official from the NMC’s Laxmi Nagar zone told TOI.The sequence of hurdles raises questions about whether underground utilities were adequately mapped and accounted for while preparing the detailed project report (DPR) and planning the bridge construction. With one obstruction emerging after another, work on the project has remained stalled, forcing residents to take a detour of nearly 2km.The official said a meeting to discuss road restoration had been convened for Wednesday and assured that the problems faced by residents would be resolved at the earliest. However, residents said they had heard assurances before.The civic infrastructure crisis extends beyond the bridge. Roads dug up nearly a year ago for sewage pipeline work under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) remain unrepaired, leaving potholes and uneven stretches. During the monsoon, rainwater accumulated in the excavated portions, making commuting hazardous for motorists and pedestrians.The project delay has also acquired a political dimension. Of the three corporators representing Prabhag 38, two belong to the Congress, including Kumudini Gudadhe, wife of Congress city president Praful Gudadhe. The NMC, meanwhile, is governed by the BJP. Residents allege that their complaints have not received adequate attention amid the political divide.Residents claim they had submitted a memorandum to mayor Neeta Thakre and were assured that the pending work would resume. Five months later, residents say there has been no tangible progress.Devendra Parihar and Mahendra Pawde, residents of the area, said repeated representations to civic officials and elected representatives failed to resolve the issue. Another resident, Ramesh Sahare, said the damaged roads had made daily commuting particularly difficult for schoolchildren.Residents are demanding a timeline for shifting the electric cable, resuming bridge construction and restoring the roads. They said the civic administration must ensure better coordination between agencies so that infrastructure projects do not remain stalled.
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