Concretisation work chokes GorakshanT-point; Petrol Pump Queues Worsen Bottleneck

Nagpur: Ongoing road concretisation and cycle track work at the busy Gorakshan T-point has triggered severe traffic congestion, crippling movement near the start of the Gowari flyover. The public works department (PWD) has restricted traffic to a single operational lane by closing one lane on each side, sharply reducing road capacity at the crucial junction. The situation has been compounded by long queues of vehicles outside a petrol pump near Gorakshan temple, with cars often spilling onto the main road and intensifying the bottleneck.Commuters reported long delays and near standstill conditions, particularly during peak hours. "I've been stuck in this queue for 45 minutes. I don't even have enough fuel to reach pumps on the outskirts," said Jignesh Patidar, who needed to travel to his farm near Khindsi.The congestion has also disrupted daily routines of office-goers and professionals who rely on the stretch. "The flyover is a lifeline for those heading beyond Zero Mile. But for those of us working in Dhantoli and Sitabuldi, it has become a daily ordeal," said Dr Akhilesh Navghare, who runs a clinic in Dhantoli. "The work has been taken up from both sides, squeezing traffic flow," he added.Residents and commuters have raised concerns over the execution of the high-value project, alleging poor planning and lack of traffic management measures. "Rahate Colony to Variety Square is always a high-traffic stretch. Carrying out such a large project without proper planning shows a lack of empathy for citizens," said tuition teacher Kavita Raut.The project is being implemented in phases and covers two major stretches. The 2.6-km Rahate Colony Square to RBI Square section, costing ₹25 crore, is currently underway and is expected to be completed by Sept 2026. It includes road concretisation, along with the development of footpaths and a cycle track. The longer 6.1-km stretch from RBI Square to Automotive Square, estimated at ₹150 crore, is scheduled to begin later.Speaking to TOI, assistant police inspector (traffic) of Sitabuldi zone, Vikram Jadhav said considering heavy traffic at the junction, two traffic cops are posted there at all times. "The cops often help navigate the traffic. If the queues are creating a bottleneck, we will deploy two more to ease the snarls," he said.According to PWD sources, the one lane kept open is generally enough to allow for a smooth traffic flow. They claim that the queue from the petrol pump may be causing the bottleneck. "The traffic police and the revenue dept can take action on this. They can divert the queue towards Congress Nagar, and that will help ease the bottleneck," the official said.