Alkapuri underpass in Vadodara to get a Railway overbridge: CM Bhupendra Patel

Based on multiple representations made by Vadodara Lok Sabha MP Hemang Joshi as well as his predecessor Ranjan Bhatt, the Railway Ministry has cleared the way for the construction of the ROB, which will go over the main line of the busy Vadodara Railway Junction, said officials.

The Alkapuri railway underpass — or ‘garnala’ as it is commonly known — is one of the crucial links for commuting within the city.

Speaking at the event where he inaugurated development works of Rs 616 crores of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation, the Chief Minister said, “There is an Alkapuri railway underpass. Very soon Vadodara will receive the gift of a railway overbridge…”

According to officials, the clearance from the railways was a necessary step in the direction. In his letter to Vaishnaw earlier this year, Hemang Joshi had said, “During peak hours, it becomes a major point of traffic congestion, causing inconvenience to commuters and affecting overall productivity. Additionally, during the monsoon season, the underpass often gets inundated, necessitating its closure and further aggravating traffic woes. This situation also hampers emergency services, posing a risk to public safety.”

On Saturday, the Chief Minister also inaugurated 36 completed projects of the VMC worth Rs 353.54 crore, including drainage projects worth Rs 176 crores and also laid the foundation stone for upcoming projects worth Rs 263 crores. Patel also remarked at the event that Vadodara had presented a “very clean” picture on Saturday, indicating that the civic administration had “taken cleanliness seriously”. Patel’s remarks came a month after he had pointed out to the office bearers at another public event that “cleanliness drives should not be undertaken only during the visit of CM or PM.”