A well-intentioned infrastructure project in Nagpur has turned into a major traffic nightmare for daily commuters. A road-widening initiative at the busy Shatabdi Square has resulted in a bizarre and dangerous situation: a full-grown tree left standing squarely in the middle of the newly widened carriageway.
From Roadside to Roadblock: The Unplanned Obstruction
What was once a tree on the roadside has now become a central obstruction, creating a severe bottleneck and raising serious questions about planning and coordination. A site visit revealed that while the road has been expanded on both sides, the tree, located near the original edge, was neither cut down nor transplanted before the construction work began.
This oversight has drastically reduced the effective width of the carriageway. Two-wheeler riders are forced to swerve sharply at the last moment to avoid the tree, while larger vehicles like buses, trucks, and even emergency services struggle to navigate the narrowed stretch. The problem intensifies during peak traffic hours, causing significant delays and frustration.
A Recipe for Accidents: Commuters Voice Safety Fears
Local residents and regular commuters have flagged the spot as highly accident-prone. They warn that the unmarked obstruction poses a grave risk, especially at night or during periods of low visibility like fog or heavy rain.
"With no reflective markers, barricades, or warning signs around the tree, motorists approaching the square at speed are often caught completely off guard," said Ambarish Kumar, a concerned Nagpur resident. This lack of basic safety measures has transformed a project meant to improve traffic flow into a significant public safety hazard.
Planning Lapses and Lack of Clearances
The situation underscores what locals describe as poor on-ground execution. According to them, the work proceeded without resolving fundamental issues. The primary reason the tree was left untouched is alleged to be the failure to obtain necessary permissions from the relevant authorities to either cut or transplant it before commencing the widening work.
Instead of halting the project or temporarily redesigning the stretch to accommodate the tree, the construction continued around it, ultimately leaving it stranded in the middle of the road. "The irony is that a project meant to improve traffic flow has ended up creating a dangerous bottleneck," remarked a daily commuter, capturing the frustration of many.
Despite attempts to seek clarification, officials from the Public Works Department (PWD), responsible for the project, were unavailable for comment. The stranded tree at Shatabdi Square now stands as a stark symbol of infrastructural mismanagement, awaiting a resolution to restore safety and smooth traffic movement.
