An expert report told the Madhya Pradesh High Court that Bhopal’s controversial “90-degree” rail overbridge actually has a 118–119 degree turn, not a right angle.
The state government has sought more time to reconsider its decision to blacklist the construction firm, with the next hearing scheduled for September 17.
The bridge, built under government supervision, sparked public outrage and safety concerns, leading to suspensions of engineers and blacklisting of agencies.
Bhopal’s “90-Degree” Bridge Actually Has 118-119 Degree Turn, Expert Tells Court
MP government seeks time to reconsider blacklisting firm after expert report; case to be heard again on September 17
Summary
The controversial Bhopal rail overbridge, widely ridiculed for its “90-degree” sharp turn, actually has a bend of 118-119 degrees, an expert has told the Madhya Pradesh High Court. The revelation came after the court ordered a technical review of the structure, which has been at the centre of memes, public outcry, and concerns over road safety.
According to NDTV, a professor from Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), Bhopal, submitted the report before a division bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdev and Justice Vinay Saraf on Wednesday. Following the submission, the state government sought additional time to reconsider its decision against the construction firm it had blacklisted over the bridge. The court granted the request and fixed the next hearing for September 17.
According to The Hind, the company, M/s Puneet Chadha, had petitioned the court after being blacklisted, arguing that the bend was not 90 degrees but closer to 118-119 degrees. The firm also claimed that the General Arrangement Drawing (GAD) for the bridge was issued and later amended by a government agency, under whose supervision the flyover was constructed between 2021 and 2024.
Images of the bridge in Bhopal’s Aishbagh area went viral earlier this year, sparking public outrage and fears of accidents due to the unusual curve. A five-member government committee had held both the state and railways responsible for lack of coordination, noting that rail tracks passed under the bend and that the pillars were not installed at the prescribed distance.
In June, as cited by the Hindu,Chief Minister Mohan Yadav suspended seven PWD engineers and ordered a departmental probe against a retired superintendent engineer. The construction agency and design consultant were blacklisted, and the government announced corrective measures for the bridge.
The High Court, while ordering the expert review earlier, had directed the petitioner to pay ₹1 lakh towards the assessment fee, with the Bhopal Municipal Corporation tasked with providing resources. If the company’s claims are validated, the court noted, it would have the right to recover the fee, and no punitive action should be taken against it.
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The report’s findings may now influence whether the company remains blacklisted, even as the state government faces questions over oversight and accountability in public infrastructure projects.
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