Nagpur: After months of temporary relief, Agrasen Square has once again turned into a major bottleneck as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) resumed work on the central island for the Kamal Chowk–Reshimbagh flyover project.The work has narrowed the carriageway, while the damaged road surface has further slowed traffic. Inadequate traffic management has compounded the problem, with long queues returning and erasing the gains made after the temporary removal of the Maharaja Agrasen statue and central roundabout.The statue was shifted to Agrasen Bhavan in May last year to facilitate construction of the flyover, a key component of the Rs998-crore Indora–Dighori Flyovers Project. Its removal freed up considerable road space, improving traffic flow during construction — a change welcomed by commuters. The relief, however, proved short-lived.According to NHAI sources, the statue’s relocation was always intended to be temporary. Before work on the island resumed, attempts were made to persuade stakeholders to relocate the statue to a nearby corner or another suitable site, but the proposal did not materialise.A TOI visit found traffic crawling through the junction as motorists negotiated the narrowed carriageway. The worst delays were on the right turn, where vehicles now have to manoeuvre around the barricaded island before proceeding. Impatient motorists were frequently seen jumping traffic signals and blocking vehicles from other directions, further worsening congestion.Illegal parking around the square has further reduced road space. Surrounded by hospitals, commercial establishments, shops and offices, the junction witnesses heavy traffic throughout the day, allowing even minor disruptions to trigger major snarls.Traffic experts noted that several statues and roundabouts across Nagpur have been relocated or redesigned to widen carriageways and improve traffic flow. With work on the central island underway, commuters say maintaining smooth traffic movement at the busy intersection will remain a key challenge.
