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Madhya Pradesh will get the state's first four-way flyover, DPR for the ₹155 crore project approved, connectivity of 4 national highways will be strengthened, will connect to Kanpur, Nagpur, Jhansi routes.
MP First Chaturbhuj Flyover: The proposed Chaturbhuj flyover, the first of its kind in Madhya Pradesh, at Makronia Chowk in Sagar city, has moved beyond the paperwork stage. Approval has been granted for the preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) under the Central Government's Setubandh Yojana. The tender process for preparing the DPR for this unique flyover, with an estimated cost of approximately ₹155 crore, has been given the green light.
It is important to note that this is not just a flyover, but is considered a structural traffic solution connecting four major national highways as well as regional routes.
Makronia Chowk cannot be called an ordinary intersection. This intersection is the focal point from where Kanpur, Jabalpur, Nagpur, and Jhansi are connected. Furthermore, the movement of cities like Chhatarpur, Rewa, Seoni, Chhindwara, and Lalitpur is also affected by these routes. Heavy vehicles, local traffic, and highway connectivity all pass through this intersection simultaneously. This is the reason why traffic jams are a constant occurrence here.
Location of Chaturbhuj Flyover - Makronia Chowk, Sagar
Length - Approximately 2.2 km
Cost (Estimated) - ₹155 crore
Connectivity - Kanpur, Nagpur, Jhansi, and Sagar city
Four-laning from Makronia to Baheria (approx. ₹15 crore DPR)
Current Status - Tender approved for DPR
This flyover had received in-principle approval in 2002. However, the construction process could not proceed due to opposition from local traders. Now, after renewed efforts, not only has an announcement been made, but approval has also been granted to start the DPR process, which is considered the actual initial phase of any major infrastructure project.
This project is being advanced under the Centre's Setubandh Yojana. The objective of this scheme is to facilitate traffic by constructing bridges and flyovers at railway crossings and traffic-congested areas. The Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has approved the DPR tender.
Makronia is no longer just a suburb. There has been a rapid increase in large automobile showrooms, commercial outlets, warehouses, and highway transit movement here. Additionally, the route connects to National Highway 44, which further provides connectivity towards Bhopal, Bina, and South India. This is why the pressure of local and inter-city traffic builds up simultaneously, leading to frequent traffic jams.
The road from Makronia to Baheria is currently a two-lane road, and due to the movement of heavy vehicles, this route often becomes a slow traffic zone. Once the four-lane road is completed, highway movement will accelerate, traffic congestion within the city will reduce, and the pressure of heavy vehicles will be distributed. In this way, this area will become free from traffic jams.
Pradeep Laria, the MLA from Naryawali, claims that he has made continuous efforts for this project. Earlier, there was a hindrance due to opposition, but now approval has been granted to prepare the DPR. This DPR is not just for the Chaturbhuj flyover but also for the four-lane road.
Currently, the situation is that tenders will be issued for the DPR. Then the DPR will be prepared. After this, administrative and financial department approval will be awaited for the final clearance. Only then can the construction process begin. This means construction has not yet started, but the formal process has commenced.
The question still lingers in people's minds: will the construction of the Chaturbhuj flyover and the four-lane road provide relief from traffic jams? Traffic experts say that merely building a flyover is not enough; it also requires planning for service roads, entry-exit management, local market traffic control, and signal synchronisation. These are all essential aspects. These considerations will make this flyover project effective in the long run, otherwise, relief from traffic jams will not be easy.
It is worth noting that the construction of a four-armed, or Chaturbhuji, flyover has been proposed for the first time in Madhya Pradesh. This is indeed an initiative towards structural change. However, the real test will be the quality of the DPR and subsequently its implementation. For now, it is certain that Sagar's Makronia Chowk has now become a significant point on the state's infrastructure map.