Hit by repeated roadblocks since the start of construction in 2020, the much-delayed 2.74-kilometre (Gayatri Mandir to Ganesh Mandir) GG flyover is now likely to open on November 30, alleviating travel pains for lakhs of commuters.
Even though officials say that the opening of the flyover will reduce travel times for drivers—taking the stretch from Rani Kamlapati Station to the Veer Savarkar Bridge near Shaurya Smarak—the slow pace of construction has caused considerable heartache for both commuters and businesses due to the ill-planning of alternate routes.
"The stretch between the two ends of the flyover remains dark, bumpy, and full of air pollution. It has taken me 20 minutes every day during peak hours to cover this stretch due to traffic jams," says Deepak Dangi, a café owner who passes through the area to get to work every day.
The sentiment is echoed by a large number of commuters, especially those travelling at night, as the makeshift route under the flyover remains pitch dark due to the absence of streetlights and is bumpy, as years of construction grime have just settled into lumps on the road.
Businesses in the area, too, have suffered considerably. Hotels and retail establishments have been the worst hit, with customers avoiding them due to the ill-planned construction activity.
Many say they may never recoup the losses they have suffered. Oblivious to the plight of citizens, officials at the PWD swell with pride when they speak of the nearly completed project. They say the new flyover will help commuters cover the stretch in under five minutes.
They claim that initial delays in the project were caused by the COVID lockdowns and admit that the situation worsened when the civic body decided to shift the Narmada pipeline. The ongoing Metro Rail project has also delayed the work, they say, pointing to official apathy and a lack of coordination between civic arms of the administration.
As per plans, the flyover will brighten the area with 776 lights in 120W, 220W, and 55W configurations, along with 402 coloured lights on the pillars in 30W and 73W each. Officials say the installation of traffic signboards is complete and attribute the latest delay in the inauguration of the desperately awaited facility to a shift in plans.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a top PWD official said that the latest plan was to open two lanes of the flyover on November 15, but it was later decided to open all three lanes—including the one where traffic will split near the Gayatri Temple. He said the project is fast nearing completion for the new November 30 deadline. Whether or not the PWD comes good on the promise this time is something that only time will tell.
