Gadkari steps in as flooded RuBs trigger public outcry
Nagpur: Faced with years of neglect and bureaucratic buck-passing over the maintenance of waterlogged underbridges, Union minister for road transport and highways and Nagpur MP
Nitin Gadkari
directed the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to immediately take over Manish Nagar and Somalwada RuBs from MahaMetro.
Both structures have drawn criticism from motorists, particularly the Manish Nagar RuB, which gets flooded even with a brief drizzle.
The intervention comes as citizens grow increasingly frustrated over near-daily waterlogging across key RuBs in the city.
The NMC, which long refused to assume responsibility for the MahaMetro-constructed RuBs, has now relented under Gadkari's orders. "On the lines of Narendra Nagar RuB constructed by state PWD, the NMC will now maintain both Manish Nagar and Somalwada RuBs," confirmed chief engineer Manoj Talewar, adding that the takeover process has begun.
The latest move puts the spotlight on the worsening condition of RuBs across Nagpur. Besides the Anand Talkies RuB — which remains dry thanks to proper elevation planning by the NMC — every other underbridge, including Cotton Market, Gaddigodam, Loha Pul, Mankapur, Mehdibagh, and Narendra Nagar, continues to experience severe waterlogging during the monsoon. In fact, many stay waterlogged even on dry days, say regular commuters.
Currently, the Mankapur RuB is maintained by NHAI and Mehdibagh by the Indian Railways, while the NMC manages the sump and pump system at Narendra Nagar. Despite this multi-agency setup, none of the departments succeeded in offering a permanent solution. To complicate matters, four new RuBs are being built in central and east Nagpur under the Central Road Infrastructure Fund Scheme. Unless proper drainage planning is incorporated, experts fear they may add to the list of daily hazards.
What was meant to be an infrastructure upgrade for smoother commutes has now turned into a public safety concern. With water levels often rising above knee-deep during rains, motorists face stalled vehicles, skidding, and damaged engines — sometimes with life-threatening consequences. If Gadkari's intervention results in systematic upgrades, it may finally mark the beginning of accountability and effective flood management for the city's crumbling underbridge network.
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