Dhar's Nagda-Gujri road rail overbridge still unfinished after a year, diversion in poor state

The Railway department is building an overbridge on the Nagda-Gujri road in Dhar, but the work has not been completed even after about a year. People from nearby villages, who have to use the route every day, are bearing the brunt.

To build the overbridge, the department first demolished the old bridge and then closed the main road to traffic. An alternative route was prepared from the Sunarkhedi underpass side to let vehicles pass, and it was divided. This alternative route has now become a fresh problem for people.

It is said that the road began to break up when only a month had passed since it was divided. Gradually the whole stretch fell into disrepair. About a year has passed since, yet it has not been repaired.

With the main road closed, the route through the Sunarkhedi underpass is the main way in and out for people from 15 to 16 villages. People from these villages pass through daily on two-wheelers and four-wheelers. Villagers have had to use this route since the overbridge work began. Continuous traffic made the condition of the road worse.

Dust, soil and loose stones are strewn along the alternative route. There are potholes on the road, which trouble two-wheeler riders the most. Vehicles raise clouds of dust as they pass, which also bothers people nearby. The stones and potholes have made driving difficult. Notably, heavy vehicles do not ply on this route, yet the condition of the road kept worsening.

Villagers say they have complained to the department concerned several times about the poor state of the alternative route, but no solution has emerged so far. Because the overbridge is incomplete, traffic on the main road has not been able to resume. Meanwhile, the bad state of the alternative route has doubled people's difficulties.

Villagers demand that the overbridge work be completed soon. Until then, they want the alternative route repaired and made fit for use.