Nagpur: Devotees visiting Koradi’s famous Shree Mahalaxmi Jagdamba Mata Mandir during Navratri may face gridlocks and prolonged delays as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is unlikely to complete the 1km Koradi Naka flyover before the festival begins on Oct 11.The temple witnesses a substantial increase in footfall during Navratri. With additional attractions planned this year, the festive rush of devotees is expected to be even higher, putting further pressure on the already congested Koradi Road. The narrowed road due to flyover construction has further compounded the problem.A senior politician had recently claimed that the flyover could be opened during Navratri. However, NHAI has now indicated that the deadline is unlikely to be met, primarily because of delays in securing railway blocks needed to shift a high-tension transmission line. Significant work remains, and the project is likely to take more than a month to complete.According to a senior NHAI official, work to raise the height of the high-tension cables is underway. NHAI has installed a monopole for the purpose, but railway blocks are required to complete the connection work.“We have been continuously following up with the railways for blocks for the last one-and-a-half months. The railways are now giving us the blocks. Even on Wednesday, the work started late, but we still need considerable cooperation from the railways,” the official said.The official said work on the flyover could not progress until the transmission line issue was resolved. “Once the cable issue is resolved, it will take more than a month to complete the flyover work. We are hoping the issue will be resolved at the earliest,” he said.NHAI, MahaTransco and Railways are currently coordinating the work to raise the height of transmission line.The four-lane flyover, being constructed at a cost of around Rs 45 crore, is intended to ease congestion and improve road safety at Koradi Naka Square, earlier identified as an accident-prone spot. Its delayed completion means commuters will have to negotiate the constricted stretch during one of the busiest periods of the year.Adding to the uncertainty is the proposed flyover arm over the Bokhara railway level crossing, or railway overbridge. Work on this arm is yet to begin. NHAI had initially planned to execute the main flyover and the ROB arm simultaneously, but delays in railway-related permissions and work forced it to proceed with the main flyover separately.
