Following the Akshardham temple attack nearly two decades ago, a contentious bridge between ‘J’ road and Palaj-Basan villages across the Sabarmati river, 2.2km from the chief minister’s bungalow and the minister’s enclave, has been approved. The Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) recently issued a tender for the project worth Rs 28 crore.
The bridge will reduce the overall commute distance between Gandhinagar and Palaj-Basan villages by at least 8 km. This is the first bridge that GMC will build with its own funds since its inception in March 2010.
The bridge will serve as a fourth exit route outside the city from J’ road, which is lined with ministers’, governor’s, and CM’s houses and is frequented by state guests and VVIPS. The bridge has been avoided by the urban development department for over a decade due to security concerns.
“It will be a huge relief for Palaj-based institutes such as IIT, IIPH, and NIPER. The area has seen significant real estate development in the last eight years, and the bridge will provide a significant boost to both Palaj and Basan villages “according to a senior GMC official Aside from VVIPS residences and the circuit house, J’ road is home to public buildings such as Vanchetana Bhavan, the Forestry Research Centre, Sarita Udyan, and the National Forensic Science University.
According to GMC sources, the civic body consulted with relevant departments regarding the design of this bridge. According to sources, the urban development and housing departments had expressed security concerns.
“GMC has already floated the tender for this upcoming bridge and is in the process of selecting a firm to begin construction,” a city development official said.
According to sources, the authorities have built an underpass near Gh 4, citing the convenience and security concerns of ministers who commute to Mahatma Mandir.