In a major shift, the Rajasthan High Court has now ordereed the authorities to wrap up the construct of Jaipur's Bhankrota flyover (Jaipur-Ajmer Highway) by April 1, 2025, which is behind the scheduled time.
The court issued strict directions following long delays in the project, which have caused a lot of inconvenience to passengers. And, this is creating a situation of frustration and traffic jams in the area. Sometimes court intervention becomes necessary to expedite the process and this will also provide long-awaited relief to Jaipur residents and travelers.
The court has also taken action regarding encroachment on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway. The court demonstrated that encroachment of any kind on the highway will not be accepted. Further, an action plan for road blockage will also have to be presented in court within 2 weeks.
Delays in Court Cases Under Strict Watch
The High Court of Rajasthan has taken a solemn mark of the continuous delay in the construction of the flyover. The project, which was initially expected to be completed last year, is still stuck amid several setbacks caused by administrative inefficiencies, funding issues, and contractor-related disputes.
In the hearing held on Wednesday in the flyover case, the National Authority officials in their appearance asked for 3 months extension to complete the work. On this, the court has given the officials a 2-month extension and ordered them to complete the construction by April 1.
The court's statement on encroachment on the highway is that the width of the highway should be 48 meters, service roads should be encroachment-free and in response, an action plan for traffic diversion has been sought due to the under-construction flyover.
Delivering its verdict, the High Court bench said,
"The delay in the Bhankarota flyover project has caused a lot of hardship to the public. Such negligence is unacceptable and strict action will be taken if the work is not completed by April 1."
On the other hand, an affidavit regarding the width of the Kamla Nehru Nagar flyover, service lane and encroachment on it will have to be submitted to the court by 17 January from the the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) and the Public Works Department (PWD).
What’s Slowing Things Down?
Officials cite multiple reasons behind the delay in the Bhankrota flyover project, including:
- Administrative bottlenecks, including bureaucratic inertia and procedural maze, have slowed down approvals.
- Financial constraints such as inconsistent fund flows have further hampered progress.
- Contractual conflicts between contractors and government agencies overpayment and performance have also contributed to failures.
- Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic initially disrupted construction, causing further delays.
During the hearing, advocates of the petitioner Kamlesh Rose, Dharmendra Chaudhary, and Sima Rose said that NHAI had projects to build 10 flyovers on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway, out of which only 2 have not been completed.
On this matter, advocate Sandeep Pathak from NHAI told the court that the firm working on the Bhankrota flyover had contracts to build 6 flyovers, out of which traffic had started after completing the remaining 5 projects, only the construction of the Bhankrota flyover was incomplete.
With inputs from agencies
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