The Madhya Pradesh government has taken decisive action against eight engineers from the Public Works Department (PWD) following the uproar over a newly constructed railway overbridge (ROB) in Bhopal's Aishbagh area that features a sharp, 90-degree turn. The bridge's unusual design has drawn criticism and ridicule from local residents and online users, who question the safety and practicality of navigating such a sharp turn.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced the suspensions on Saturday, stating that he had taken "cognizance of the serious negligence" in the bridge's construction and ordered an inquiry. Based on the inquiry report, seven engineers have been suspended with immediate effect, including two chief engineers. A departmental inquiry will also be conducted against a retired superintendent engineer.
Those suspended include chief engineers Sanjay Khande and G P Verma, in-charge executive engineer Javed Shakeel, in-charge sub-divisional officer Ravi Shukla, sub-engineer Umashankar Mishra, assistant engineer Shanul Saxena, and in-charge executive engineer Shabana Rajjaq. The retired superintendent engineer facing a departmental inquiry is M P Singh.
In addition to the suspensions, the government has blacklisted the architect firm M/s Puneet Chaddha and the design consultant M/s Dynamic Consultant, holding them accountable for their roles in the faulty design. A committee has been formed to implement the necessary improvements to the ROB, and Chief Minister Yadav has stated that the bridge will not be inaugurated until these improvements are completed.
The 648-meter bridge, built at a cost of Rs 18 crore, was intended to improve connectivity between Mahamai Ka Bagh, Pushpa Nagar, the station area, and New Bhopal, benefiting approximately three lakh people. However, the 90-degree turn has raised serious safety concerns, with many fearing that it could lead to accidents as vehicles struggle to negotiate the sharp angle.
Prior to the current action, red flags were raised about the design as early as April 4, 2024. A team of supervisors from the Railways inspected the site and Deputy Civil Engineer at the West Central Railways Division, Sudhanshu Nagayach, wrote to the PWD Executive Engineer of the Bridge Construction Division expressing concerns. Nagayach noted that the portions of the bridge constructed by the PWD and Railways were "meeting almost at right angle, which is neither fulfilling the functional requirement nor safe for road users". He also warned that it would "lead to criticism amongst road users and public and also give [a] bad image of engineers in the public".
Despite these early warnings, the PWD moved forward with the construction, leading to the current situation. Officials initially defended the design, citing limited land availability near a metro station as the reason for the sharp turn. However, mounting public pressure and critical reports prompted the Chief Minister to order a thorough inquiry, ultimately resulting in the disciplinary actions.
Corrective measures are expected to involve removing the current railing at the 90-degree turn and converting it into a broader curve, potentially increasing the bridge width by approximately three feet. The Public Works Department has also formed a four-member committee, including two chief engineers and an executive engineer, to assess the design, evaluate accountability, and recommend corrective measures.
