The historic Ghat Road bridge over the Naag River, a century-old stone masonry structure, has been successfully restored by the Nagpur Division of Central Railway. The rehabilitation work was completed by the set deadline of May 30, just in time for the monsoon season, as directed by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and the Traffic Branch of Nagpur City Police.
The bridge, which features five arch spans measuring 9.15 metres eachтАФthree functioning as waterways near Nagpur Station and two serving as roadways toward Ajni StationтАФunderwent critical structural strengthening after an inspection in 2023 revealed signs of aging. Following approval from Central Railway Headquarters, the restoration included in-turning and jacketing of the bridge spans.
Work began in November 2023 with repairs to Waterway Span No. 5. To facilitate the rehabilitation of the road spans (Span Nos. 1 and 2), traffic was initially rerouted via a temporary road through Waterway Span No. 3, with the necessary permissions granted by the NMC.
Despite early challenges, including the withdrawal of traffic closure approval, continuous coordination between Central Railway, NMC, and city police resulted in the final go-ahead in February 2025. This allowed the construction of a temporary road through Span No. 3 to proceed.
The jacketing work on Span Nos. 1 and 2 was completed between March 1 and May 25, and vehicular traffic has now resumed on the restored bridge. The dismantling of the temporary diversion is expected to be completed before the arrival of heavy rains, ensuring smooth and safe transit for commuters.
