Nagpur: Besa Square is set for a major redesign, with the Public Works Department (PWD) opting for a traffic-island model instead of the landscaped roundabout proposed by the Besa-Pipla Nagar Panchayat. Officials expect the revamped junction to be ready by August 15, subject to completion of utility-shifting work.PWD has begun replacing an ageing water pipeline beneath the intersection, a process expected to take about a month. Construction of the redesigned junction will begin once the pipeline work is completed.“Unlike Bajaj Nagar and Kachipura squares, Besa Square will not have decorative stone blocks or a circular roundabout. Instead, it will feature concrete paving blocks and small traffic and pedestrian islands designed to streamline left-turn movements while allowing through traffic to flow unhindered,” a PWD official said.Officials said the design was finalised after considering the heavy traffic volume at the junction and the need to minimise congestion during construction.The Besa-Pipla Nagar Panchayat had proposed a landscaped roundabout with a bust of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and other beautification features. However, PWD rejected the proposal, citing space constraints and visibility concerns.“We are not leaving the work to the Nagar Panchayat. PWD is executing the project itself. The Nagar Panchayat suggested a roundabout, but the proposal was rejected as it was not feasible at such a congested junction,” a senior PWD official said.The official added that a roundabout would hamper visibility and impede traffic movement at one of the city’s busiest intersections. “We cannot block the road for a month. Even laying paving blocks takes time and inconveniences commuters. We are therefore planning the work carefully to keep disruption to a minimum,” the official said.PWD officials said their priority is to complete the project within the stipulated timeline and avoid prolonged construction, a recurring concern among commuters using the Besa corridor..
