Ranchi, Oct 4 (PTI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday inaugurated the much-awaited Kantatoli flyover in Ranchi, aiming to ease traffic congestion in the state capital.
At the event, Soren unveiled 31 road infrastructure projects valued at approximately Rs 3,264 crore, including the foundation for four new flyovers — two in Ranchi and one each in Dhanbad and Jamshedpur.
“The Kantatoli flyover was constructed in a record time of around two years. It will soon connect with the Siramtoli flyover, making the overall length of the flyover about 5 km,” he said.
The 2.4-km-long flyover was built at an estimated cost of Rs 224.94 crore, utilising 486 precast segmental boxes supported by 42 spans, and featuring around 125 electric poles installed along its length.
The foundation of the Kantatoli flyover was originally laid in 2017, but its completion faced delays despite several announcements by the previous BJP government.
After taking office in 2019, Soren prioritised the project, instructing the urban development department to revise the designs and adopt a precast segmental box girder system to minimise traffic disruption.
To enhance connectivity further, Soren laid the foundation stone for a 1.25-km Siramtoli-Kantatoli flyover, estimated to cost Rs 213.35 crore, and laid the foundation for a 3-km Harmu-Sahjanand flyover, projected at Rs 430.75 crore.
In his address, Soren stressed the importance of environmental assessments before proceeding with various road and railway projects.
“We have already inflicted significant environmental damage in the name of development. Large trees have been cut down for railroads, roads, and high-rise buildings, yet little has been done to compensate for this loss,” he remarked.
He also raised concerns about the safety of Ranchi’s Pahadi temple, which faces risks from the installation of a 293-foot flagpole.
“A scientific assessment is necessary for moving forward with any such project,” he added.
Additionally, the CM directed officials to set up solid waste management machines in housing societies with populations around 1,000 to effectively address local waste management challenges.
The Kantatoli flyover, initially envisioned by the previous BJP government, had its foundation laid in November 2017.
Originally proposed at 905 metres long and budgeted at Rs 192 crore, the project was later revised to 1,250 metres with a budget of Rs 257 crore. Work began in mid-2018, but various challenges, including land acquisition issues and alleged design flaws, delayed its completion beyond the original 2019 deadline. PTI SAN SAN MNB
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