The Indian Express               20.01.2014 

Vadodara to finally get its new railway flyovers

Vadodara is all set to get the two long-awaited crucial railway over-bridges that would bring the expanding city closer. The Kalali ROB and the Dandia Bazar-Akota flyovers are nearing their completion in the near future. While VMC officials say that the Kalali ROB will be ready for inauguration within a week, the Akota bridge is expected to be ready by mid-February.

Ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the BJP-administered VMC has requested Chief Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the ROBs, along with a list of other corporation projects. After four years of wait, Vadodara will finally get its ROB, connecting Kalali, Makarpura and Old Padra Road and reducing the commuting time to areas where the city is now expanding. Although Chief Minister Narendra Modi has promised to arrive in the city for the formal inauguration, VMC says that the ROB will be thrown open for public use the moment it is ready.

Standing Committee Chairman of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation Dr Hitendra Patel said, “The lighting work is pending on the Kalali ROB, which will be completed within a matter of days. We will open the ROB for the public shortly, as the CM is busy right now and we cannot keep the ROB shut and inconvenience the people. We will have a formal inauguration later.”

The VMC has also planned the inauguration of the Manjalpur sports stadium, the newly-constructed bus depot as well as a hospital in Gotri, at the hands of Modi at one go. Patel said, “The total cost of the four projects is Rs 120 crores. They are remarkable projects and the CM is expected to give us a date within 15 days. The Akota-Dandia Bazar ROB, however, will take another two months to be completed as the Railways is handling the portion that has to be constructed over the rail lines because it involves shifting of some high tension wires.” The VMC has also begun beautification of the circles that will stand at the ends of the Kalali flyover.