- The Aishbagh Overbridge in Bhopal has been built at a cost of Rs 18 crore.
- It features a sharp 90-degree turn, prompting criticism from locals and the opposition.
- An expert said it could become an accident-prone zone
In a country where development sometimes takes a wrong turn, the newly inaugurated Aishbagh Overbridge in Bhopal is fast becoming a case study.
Built at a cost of Rs 18 crore, the bridge - 648 metres long and 8.5 metres wide - is not making headlines for delays or cost-overruns, but how it turns. Imagine driving straight, then halting to make a 90-degree L-shaped turn - without any warning signs - and then hoping the car doesn't kiss the wall. Locals now jokingly call it not a bridge, but a "statue of confusion."
"This is a very dangerous bridge," says Nida Khan, a local resident. "The turns are sharp, and it becomes even riskier at night. With heavy two-way traffic and blind curves, accidents are just waiting to happen."
"According to civil engineering standards, either the turning radius is wrong, or the mistake lies in the Detailed Project Report," explains town and country planner Suyash Kulshreshtha. "This could become an accident-prone zone. Mirrors must be installed, and vehicle speed must be strictly controlled."
Public Works Minister Rakesh Singh, however, downplayed concerns. "Suddenly, after the bridge is built, some experts appear and raise doubts. Every bridge is cleared only after technical assessments. If there are allegations, we will investigate," he said.
Local MLA and Minister Vishwas Sarang, who regularly posted inspection selfies during construction, had also said, "I have visited the site many times."
But the opposition has questioned the government, asking if technical assessments were followed, how did the bridge take such an inexplicable turn?
Speaking to news agency ANI, Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari said, "How did the department (PWD) accept this kind of design... The government should wake up and punish the people who created such a design with the public's hard-earned money. The government should wake up before the bridge becomes a death ground."
