Bhopal Metro construction squeezes road space near New Market

Construction of Bhopal Metro’s Blue Line along the Bhadbhada-New Market corridor is adding to traffic pressure on the Jawahar Chowk-New Market stretch as festive-season movement increases.

The construction activity is reducing available road space along the corridor, while e-rickshaws parked on the road are adding to congestion.

At different points along the stretch, close to 100 e-rickshaws can be found parked, according to the report.

Traffic congestion involving private vehicles is already a regular feature on the Jawahar Chowk-New Market stretch.

The district administration has prohibited e-rickshaw movement on 12 routes, including the Katju Hospital-Rangmahal route and Roshanpura.

The New Market corridor falls within this wider traffic-management challenge.

An urban development expert said the e-rickshaw issue needed to be viewed as part of the larger traffic-management challenge rather than separately from Metro construction.

According to Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Ltd officials, the Metro contractor is required to obtain the required permissions and comply with construction-related conditions.

Traffic management and interventions required to regulate road movement are the responsibility of the traffic police, officials said.

The Bhopal Blue Line construction is continuing along the Bhadbhada-New Market corridor, while authorities face increased traffic pressure during the festive season.

The latest situation has raised concerns over managing road traffic as construction activity affects available road space on one of the city’s busy commercial stretches.