Nagpur: Overlapping infrastructure projects and poor traffic management are leading to frequent gridlock at the bustling Cotton Market area. What was once a network of busy but manageable roads has now become a junction of congestion, delays and frustration. With traffic management measures proving insufficient, the chaos is worsening by the day. TOI has been regularly reporting about the traffic snarls at the square, especially since work was undertaken at the Loha Pul. Railways closed the old Road Under Bridge (RUB) for traffic in April for strengthening the structure. Now, a large volume of traffic flow from Subhash Road and railway station east side is being diverted toward the Anand Talkies RUB, which is an already strained route.Construction of the Metro skywalk (foot over bridge) at the Cotton Market square has narrowed the roads even further. The impact has been felt the most on the Anand Talkies RUB that receives traffic from Sitabuldi via Pandit Malviya Marg as well as the Great Nag Road and Ganeshpeth via the Ghat Road. What was once a five-minute ride now routinely stretches to half an hour during peak hours.“The city and private buses coming from Ghat Road turn at the RUB opening on Pt Malviya Marg, either for Shani Mandir or Anand Talkies, making matters worse,” said Jay Kondawar, a motorist, adding, “These heavy vehicles block the entire road, leaving no space for other vehicles to pass. There is a complete deadlock.”In April, permission was granted to the Railways to close the Loh Pul temporarily, diverting traffic from Cotton Market to the Anand Talkies RUB. Lack of proper traffic coordination on the ground has compounded the problem. Though barricades have been placed at key points, there’s little visible enforcement during office hours.“The problem is it’s not just one project,” said another motorist, Nishant Rode, while pointing to works undertaken at the Lohapul RUB and the Metro Skywalk. “None of it seems to have been planned properly, and we, the motorists and commuters, are paying the price every single day.”“Even a short commute has turned into a half-hour ordeal. It’s affecting people’s work hours, deliveries and even school pickups. The chaos is exhausting and only getting worse,” said Kirti Varma. A senior official from the traffic police department said though police personnel are deployed in the area, challenges remain. “The large-scale construction work will cause some problems for almost a month. We have also diverted traffic moving from Sitabuldi toward Anand Talkies RUB to Humpyard Road. We will assign more officers at the RUB opening on Pt Malviya Road,” the official said.
