Because land at its Manipur end was classified as agricultural, blocking the opening of the connecting road, completed more than two years ago, the Rs 80 crore Ghuma railway bridge has remained unused.
In its 2014 Development Plan, Auda had proposed a 45-metre-wide road linking Sanand with Sardar Patel Ring Road. The railway line cut across the proposed route, prompting the construction of the Rs 80 crore Ghuma railway bridge. Only on Feb 10 did the state urban development department notify of a zoning change, paving the way for a draft town planning scheme and road connectivity. The Rs 98.6-crore Makarba railway overbridge ends at a four-way junction, and congestion has worsened since its inauguration. In 2016-17, AMC launched a drive to make overbridges and underpasses so people did not have to wait at the railway crossings. The 452-metre Paldi Jalaram underpass, built in coordination with Metro authorities for Rs 83 crore, was inaugurated by the chief minister on March 4, 2024, only to close within hours.
Because land at its Manipur end was classified as agricultural, blocking the opening of the connecting road, completed more than two years ago, it has remained unused. Because its approach cut through cremation-ground land, the Tragad underpass was idle for a year. Because of technical and space constraints, no bridges possible at five railway crossings Although AMC announced plans in 2016-17 to make Ahmedabad crossing-free, the reality is that the city cannot AMC’s 2016-17 pledge to make Ahmedabad a railway crossing-free city faces a basic obstacle: at least five crossings on the Ahmedabad-Botad line cannot be eliminated. Authorities widened the crossing instead, which means trains and road traffic will continue sharing the same location. Despite what the civic body promised, the city will therefore retain some railway level crossings.
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AMC and Auda officials pressed ahead with projects to secure grants from state govt and railways without resolving the issues pertaining to land-use, alignment and access hurdles, sources in the two agencies said. They said no action had been taken against the officials responsible. Ahmedabad: Meant to eliminate traffic delays at railway crossings, several costly overbridges and underpasses in Ahmedabad have instead led commuters to dead ends, left them struggling with poor road connectivity, and worsened congestion. Work to establish the link is only now being pursued. Auda sources alleged that securing grants took precedence over ensuring the bridge could be used. AMC projects have faced similar problems. A bridge under construction at Hebatpur has a comparable design, raising fears of another bottleneck. The Jagatpur overbridge, also landing at a four-way junction, already sees severe traffic jams. Several projects went ahead, but their designs and links to existing roads have drawn criticism. A power tower still needed removal, and an approach road remained unfinished. Design changes had already delayed the project by nearly three years, making it Ahmedabad’s costliest underpass. At Chandkheda IOC crossing, the connecting road was delayed by two years. The dispute ended after the facility was relocated. The crossings are Navrangpura, Sanghvi, Vijaynagar, Sarkhej Highway and Bhudarpura, all in the western part of the city. Officials say neither an overbridge nor an underpass is feasible at these locations under the existing road layout. At Navrangpura, the stretch from Ashram Road splits into two immediately after the tracks. That leaves no practical alignment for an underpass, while the available road width and length make a flyover an impossibility. The Vijaynagar crossing, between Naranpura and Vadaj, faces similar limitations. No bridge or underpass can be built there. Download the TOI App.