Makarba Overbridge Inaugurated in Afternoon, Traffic Nightmare Hits By Evening; Design Questions Raised

A bridge meant to ease one of Ahmedabad’s notorious traffic bottlenecks was barely hours old when it became the centre of a new one.

The newly constructed Makarba Railway Overbridge on the Ahmedabad-Botad railway line was inaugurated by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Thursday afternoon, with the project expected to improve connectivity between Sarkhej-Juhapura and the SG Highway. But by evening, a massive traffic jam had hit the area, with motorists and even ambulances reportedly caught in the gridlock.

The immediate congestion has raised questions over the bridge’s planning and design, particularly the point where one end of the overbridge descends onto Corporate Road.

Bridge Opens, Bottleneck Emerges

According to local residents and motorists, the bridge comes down directly onto Corporate Road, leaving less than 10 metres of space at the point where traffic exits the structure.

As vehicles descended from the overbridge and merged onto the relatively narrow stretch of road, traffic quickly backed up, creating a major bottleneck.

The situation became particularly serious when emergency vehicles were also caught in the congestion, according to locals.

The irony was hard to miss: a project inaugurated to improve traffic movement appeared to create a fresh choke point within hours of opening.

CM’s ‘Reels’ Remark Draws Attention

The traffic chaos also gave fresh context to a remark made by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel during the inauguration.

Referring to the age of social media, Patel had said, “This is the era of ‘Reels’. If someone faces trouble now, they will post a ‘Reel’ about it,” while urging officials to remain positive and vigilant.

The remark has since drawn attention as motorists encountered traffic problems at the newly opened bridge later the same day.

Residents and commuters have questioned why the potential bottleneck at the Corporate Road end was not adequately addressed before the bridge was opened to traffic.

Project Had Already Faced Construction Delays

The Makarba overbridge had faced problems even during construction.

Work began on September 30, 2023, with the project originally scheduled for completion by March 2025. The deadline was subsequently missed by around one-and-a-half years.

Construction was disrupted after an underground drainage line was damaged during the work. Officials also discovered additional underground utility lines that were not reflected on the maps provided to the bridge department, forcing changes to the original pillar design.

Railway-related works further contributed to the delay.

Relief At One End, Congestion At The Other?

The ₹98.60-crore overbridge is intended to provide smoother movement for commuters travelling between Makarba, Sarkhej-Juhapura and the SG Highway corridor.

But Thursday’s traffic situation has raised a fundamental question: did the planning of the bridge adequately account for the traffic it would release onto Corporate Road?

For residents and commuters, the first evening has fuelled concerns that solving congestion at the railway crossing may have simply shifted the bottleneck to the bridge’s exit.

The authorities will now face pressure to assess the traffic arrangement at the Corporate Road end and determine whether additional measures are required to prevent the newly opened bridge from becoming a new daily traffic choke point.