Sharp bend on Indian bridge triggers suspension of seven engineers in Madhya Pradesh

The Madhya Pradesh government in central India has suspended seven engineers following public outrage over the design of a newly constructed Rail Over Bridge (ROB) in Bhopal that features a nearly 90-degree turn.

The bridge, costing approximately 200 million rupees (around $2.3 million), was intended to enhance connectivity between Mahamai Ka Bagh, Pushpa Nagar, the railway station area, and New Bhopal. Instead, it has become the subject of widespread criticism due to what many consider a glaring design flaw, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Announced a decade ago, the 648-meter bridge was designed to ease traffic congestion by eliminating railway crossing delays and improving the daily commute for nearly 300,000 residents. However, the sharp right-angle bend has raised serious safety concerns and attracted viral attention on Indian social media platforms.

In response to the backlash, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav ordered a prompt inquiry into the bridge’s design and construction. Subsequently, he announced the immediate suspension of seven engineers involved in the project, including two chief engineers.

“Seven engineers, including two chief engineers, have been suspended with immediate effect. A departmental inquiry will be conducted against a retired sub-engineer. Both the construction agency and the design consultant have been blacklisted for submitting faulty design of the ROB,” Yadav stated.

The government has also blacklisted the design consultant and the architectural firm responsible for the bridge’s planning and construction. However, VD Verma, the project’s chief engineer, defended the design, asserting that “he and his team had no other choice but to build the 90-degree turn due to limited land space and the presence of a metro station nearby.”

In light of the controversy, Bhopal authorities are now considering acquiring additional land to allow for a safer and more gradual curve in the bridge’s layout.

While the bridge was envisioned as a critical infrastructure upgrade to improve urban mobility, it currently stands as a cautionary tale about oversight failures and design compromises, casting doubt on the safety and functionality of the project.

By Vafa Guliyeva