The Madhya Pradesh government has taken swift action, suspending seven engineers from the Public Works Department (PWD), including two chief engineers, in response to the widely criticized design of a new Rail Over Bridge (ROB) in Bhopal's Aishbagh area. The bridge, which features an unusual 90-degree turn, has sparked public outrage and raised significant safety concerns.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav confirmed the immediate suspension of the engineers and has ordered a departmental inquiry against a retired senior engineer also believed to be connected to the project. Yadav addressed the situation on X, stating, "I took cognizance of the serious negligence in the construction of Aishbagh ROB and ordered an inquiry. On the basis of the inquiry report, action has been taken against eight PWD engineers".

In addition to the suspensions, the construction agency and design consultant involved have been blacklisted. A committee has also been formed to implement necessary improvements to the ROB, with the Chief Minister stating that the bridge will not be inaugurated until these improvements are completed.

The engineers facing disciplinary action include Chief Engineers GP Verma and Sanjay Khande, Executive Engineer Javed Shakeel, Executive Engineer (Design) Shabana Rajak, Assistant Engineer (Design) Sonal Saxena, Sub Engineer Umashankar Mishra, Sub Engineer Ravi Shukla, and retired Superintending Engineer MP Singh. Action was also taken against consultant Puneet Chadha for the faulty design.

The ROB, constructed at a cost of Rs 18 crore, aims to improve connectivity between Mahamai Ka Bagh, Pushpa Nagar, the station area, and New Bhopal, potentially benefiting around three lakh people. However, its sharp 90-degree turn has drawn criticism and ridicule, with concerns raised about the difficulty vehicles will face negotiating it.

PWD Minister Rakesh Singh stated that a team from the National Highway Authority (NHAI) investigated the matter and determined that the unusual design was due to land unavailability. Despite these challenges, the government is committed to rectifying the issues.

The committee formed to address the design flaws has recommended introducing a curve before the 90-degree turn to allow commuters more time and space to slow down and navigate the turn. This would involve dismantling the existing railing at the turn and widening the bridge to create a curve. The committee also highlighted a lack of coordination between the railways and the PWD, which contributed to the design errors. Furthermore, the committee will fix the responsibility for who prepared and cleared the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Aishbagh ROB.

Chief Minister Yadav has declared that the bridge will not be opened to the public until the necessary modifications are made. Works have already begun to modify the bridge.