Nagpur: Built as engineering landmarks and presented as symbols of Nagpur’s infrastructure leap, Wardha Road and Kamptee Road double-decker flyovers are now giving commuters a very different experience, greeting them with potholes at the approaches, battered road surfaces and long patches of erratic street lighting.A TOI spot check of Wardha Road and Kamptee Road double-decker flyovers found damaged surfaces and rough patches, particularly around their entry and exit points. Both structures were built by MahaMetro; however, there is ambiguity over the maintenance, though MahaMetro is currently looking after their upkeep.Sources said the flyovers are eventually to be handed over to NMC. However, civic officials are likely to take over the structures only after they are restored to proper condition, with the road surface repaired and all streetlights made functional.The problem is particularly glaring on Wardha Road, which was built at a cost of Rs400 crore and inaugurated in Nov 2020, where the ramps towards Ajni Square and Airport Square have once again deteriorated. Motorists transitioning from the regular road onto the flyover suddenly encounter potholes and broken patches, making the ride uncomfortable and potentially risky for two-wheelers.In July 2024, TOI had flagged potholes and loose gravel at the Ajni and Airport Square ramps. The deterioration stands out considering the scale and stature of the infrastructure. The Wardha Road double-decker carries road traffic below the Metro viaduct and had entered Guinness records as the longest double-decker viaduct with a Metro rail system, which is now in second place, with Kamptee as the longest record holder.The newer Kamptee Road structure presents a similar picture. Built at a cost of Rs 573.16 crore, the double-decker corridor runs from LIC Square to Automotive Square, with the Metro viaduct above the road flyover. The project was planned over 5.3 km, making it an even larger addition to the city’s multi-level transport network. Yet, less than two years after its inauguration, potholes and rough patches have surfaced around its approaches too.“The flyover is not completely dark, but the lighting is very patchy. At several places, two or three lights in a row are off, then a few are working, and the same pattern repeats. It becomes particularly uncomfortable while driving at night, especially when you are also trying to avoid rough patches and potholes,” said Shekhar Kulkarni, a regular user of Wardha Road flyover.A senior MahaMetro official said, “We are aware of the issue and are actively working on it. Repairs on the Kamptee Road flyover will be taken up over the next few days as the issue is minor. On Wardha Road, we have taken cognisance of the problem and will carry out the work as soon as we get a dry spell of four to five days.”Sources in the agency said repairs have been delayed as the cold-mix plant, normally used for such patchwork, is currently not operational. In the interim, MahaMetro is likely to use hot mix for the repairs, though sources said it would serve as a more temporary solution.
