Experts raise red flag over ERA’s new city projects

Raising red flag over the construction of Mehjoor Nagar Bridge and TRC Grade Separator by Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA), experts have warned that their flawed design will choke city transport from two sides.

The twin projects are being constructed at a cost of Rs 42 crores under ADB-funded Loan II of USDIP. Experts have raised fingers at site selection of Mehjoor Nagar bridge. The bridge has been curiously built at a place where drivers will have to navigate cumbersome two bends— which can slow the traffic and hence prove a bottleneck.

“The site which we had identified for the construction of this bridge was straight from Jawahar Nagar road towards Bund. But ERA shifted the location around 200 feet further away due to some unknown reasons,” said an engineer who was part of the planning process for identification of the site.

“In simpler terms the earlier design was “T” shape and now it has been turned into Z shape with one more additional bend. There are only two best sites for constructing the bride at this place, one is old Mehjoor Nagar bridge and another emerges straight from Jawahar Nagar road, but ERA made a bridge in between the two,” the engineer said wishing anonymity.

According to sources, the design was altered due to a pressure from an influential person whose property was getting affected due to the design, but the officials deny it. “We are looking at a vital bridge which will cater to more than 10 lakh people, as it will be serving almost entire South Kashmir’s connectivity with City Centre. Thousands of drivers will have to navigate bends which will surely slow them down and ultimately choke the traffic,” said an expert.

ERA denied that the design will hamper traffic movement though they admitted that the agency changed the location. “We had to change the location after 2014 floods as government revised highest flood level. The old location would have left little space to make a slope for 1.5 metre height, so we had to take the bridge further from Jawahar Nagar road,” said Director ERA Malik Basharat

“Furthermore, we are constructing the bridge with bell mouth design which will smoothly merge traffic coming from left and right,” he said.

The grade separator being built at TRC is another controversial design which both traffic police and city planners have expressed their reservation with. “In simpler terms let us call them mini flyovers, one is to be constructed near J&K Bank corporate headquarter and second at Radio Kashmir junction,” said an official. “Radio Kashmir junction may help a bit but J&K Bank grade separator seems to have no planning or justification behind it. We fear it may instead choke the traffic at the vital point.”

At a recent meeting at Divisional Commissioner’s office, both the traffic police and planning department were vocal against the design of grade separator. The controversy has led to temporary stopping of work. On November 20,, the Minister for Public Works, Floriculture and Gardens & Parks Syed Altaf Bukhari, constituted a committee comprising of CEO ERA, Director ERA, Chief Engineer R&B and Chief Town Planner to resolve the issue. The committee is expected to give its decision in the next fortnight.

“There was no issue with the grade separator but officials wanted more to be done for resolving traffic congestion at Dalgate Junction opposite Jan bakery,” said Basharat. “This led to temporary suspension of work. They want us to enhance the scope of project and not abandon it.”

Both the R&B and Planning officials admitted that the grade separators in its present design would have created problems. “The issue has generated enough heat. Now the government has ordered us to make a comprehensive plan involving all three junctions on MA Road and TRC. We have received the traffic data and are working to build an enhanced grid of grade separators which will reduce congestion,” said an official. “Till then it is unlikely that the work on grade separator will start.”