Ahmedabad BRTS update

Until now, civic authorities have had only one way of skirting traffic jams at railway crossings in the city — building underpasses that invariably turn into waterlogged pools during monsoon. But when the BRTS project reaches Gujarat College, Amdavadis will be able to fly over trains passing through the city. A 1.5-kilometre elevated corridor will soon come up and go right past the college junction and the clogger Gandhigram railway crossing. There would also be a bus stop on the flyover near MJ Library. The elevated corridor would have two lanes, each 7.5 metres wide. The corridor would begin on the Law Garden road near Church of North India, pass Gujarat college crossroads, fly over the railway line and pass along Ashima House. The flyover would then widen at MJ Library to accommodate a bus stop. The corridor will hit Ashram Road and turn right towards Town Hall crossroads to finally descend at the mouth of Ellisbridge. Officials say that they are debating giving BRTS an independent track across the river once a decision is taken on the fate of Ellisbridge.
“Vehicles often get stuck at the inundated Parimal, Usmanpura, Mithakali and Town Hall underpasses in the western part during monsoons. The BRTS corridor will be thrown open to mixed traffic during these emergencies. We took the decision after observing three monsoons,” says Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited (AJL) chairman IP Gautam. The design for the corridor has been passed by the AJL board and construction will begin in three to five months. There are just two small stretches on the sides that are yet to be acquired by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC).
Vehicular movement was studied on the Shreyas crossing, and Vasna-Vadaj stretch for the elevated corridor. “We had originally planned an elevated corridor above Gandhigram railway station two years ago but the Railways did not permit us due to technical issues. Besides we could not get a gradual descent for the corridor at Nehru bridge. It was then decided to take the corridor to Ellisbridge,” Gautam added.