NHAI postpones commissioning of Bhande Plot–Dighori flyover despite project completion push.

Even though the Bhande Plot–Dighori flyover is virtually complete, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has kept the corridor closed to traffic, forcing hundreds of daily commuters to continue facing severe congestion on the road beneath.

The delay comes despite NHAI’s earlier assurance that the flyover would be opened by the end of April, nearly two months ahead of the official June 30 deadline for the ₹998-crore Indora–Dighori flyover project.

Officials have now cited a pending “safety audit” as the reason for the delay. However, commuters and residents have questioned why a structurally complete flyover — which has already undergone successful load testing — cannot be partially opened to ease traffic pressure.

The Bhande Plot–Dighori stretch is a key segment of the Indora–Dighori elevated corridor, one of Nagpur’s largest and most complex urban infrastructure projects, passing through densely populated areas. The corridor includes two major flyovers — Kamal Chowk to Reshimbagh Square and Bhande Plot to Dighori — with the existing Sakkardara flyover integrated into the network.

Despite near-completion of the structure, commuters continue to face daily bottlenecks on Umred Road, with traffic crawling through one of the city’s most congested routes.

Sources said remaining ramp work may take another 15 days, but NHAI officials indicated the opening could be further delayed. NHAI project director Abhijeet Jichkar said safety audits by experts are yet to be completed and could take up to another one-and-a-half months.

Ironically, the flyover has already undergone load testing on two major spans of 90 metres and 60 metres, suggesting structural readiness. However, despite growing public frustration and worsening congestion below, authorities have not moved to operationalise the completed sections.

The 2.2-km flyover begins at Bhande Plot Square, where the existing Sakkardara flyover descends, and extends up to a point beyond Dighori Naka on Umred Road. Once opened, it is expected to significantly ease traffic on one of Nagpur’s most congested urban corridors.