A public interest litigation (PIL) filed in Gujarat High Court over the proposed flyover from Panjarapol to IIM in Ahmedabad, other than issues of traffic and increasing accidents, has raised serious questions about the builder who was blacklisted yet awarded the contract.

Citing a report from experts, senior counsel Mihir Thakor, representing the petitioner, said that considering the gradual and continuous decline in traffic on this road, there is no need for a flyover till 2044.

The report, according to Thakor, indicated that in 2012, around 10,000 vehicles passed through this road, which reduced to 8,582 in 2020 and to around 6,000 in 2024. The authorities have proposed a flyover project based on the possibility of increasing traffic on this road in the future, but the reality is that the number of vehicles on this road has reduced significantly.

He argued that if more than 1,00,000 vehicles are passing daily, the need for a bridge arises. Also, the construction of a bridge will create a situation where large fire brigade vehicles would not be able to pass.

Moreover, the Lokayukt had issued an order against the contractor Ranjit Buildcon, to whom AMC has awarded the contract for the flyover. The firm was also blacklisted earlier, yet the AMC handed the contract to one of the companies of the same group, Thakor argued.

He pointed out that nine contracts associated with the group have failed and serious incidents including human deaths have also come to light due to the negligence of the contractor. So, in public interest, they should not be given the project.

After hearing the petitioner, the court scheduled further hearing in the case for next week.

Also read:

Work on service road for Panjrapol flyover begin despite high court PIL