Nagpur flyover beam cuts through balcony; NHAI says road alignment won’t affect family

A flyover beam cutting straight through a balcony in Nagpur’s Gandhibagh Zone has triggered a debate over poor urban planning, unchecked encroachments, and lapses in infrastructure oversight. The unusual sight went viral after a video of the construction emerged online, forcing the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to issue a notice and begin checking whether the house involved was built legally, The Indian Express reported.

The structure in question is part of the 8.9-km Indora Chowk–Dighori Chowk elevated corridor, a highway project being executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The 998-crore project was planned after detailed surveys and design work, but the current controversy has raised questions about whether basic clearances were ignored.

The Patre family, whose balcony now has a concrete beam cutting across it, said they were informed earlier this year about their 1.5-metre balcony extension. According to them, they had cooperated with the teams, assuming the extension would be altered or demolished later.

“The house happens to be on the roundabout where the flyover is being built, so the issue occurred. We have no problem; others are making it one. It went viral for fun, but there’s no real issue. It’s just a beam, not the road — the road is far away,” Srushti Patre was quoted by The Indian Express as saying.

The family says their home would remain intact even if the balcony is demolished, but the shops beneath provide livelihoods for multiple families, which would be affected.

A letter dated October 11, 2024, from the NHAI Project Director to NMC’s Gandhibagh Zone clearly mentioned that “2–3 shops are obstructing the area required for the rotary’s outer beam.” The letter specifically requested the NMC to check and clear the site to avoid safety risks and construction delays.

However, the contractor went ahead with work. Officials now admit that while the issue had been flagged as encroachment, discussions with the family living there were still in progress when construction advanced.

“We had written to NMC. I think the contractor started work while talks with the family were ongoing. Since it has come to light, we are planning to remove the encroachment,” C M Sinha, General Manager (Tech) and Project Director at NHAI, was quoted by The Indian Express as saying. Sinha also mentioned that the road alignment runs on the inner side of the flyover and does not directly endanger the family’s residence.

Meanwhile, the NMC officials point out that the site falls within a notified slum area, which means that under the law, a 15-day notice must be issued before clearing any structure. “We will verify the documents. If the construction is illegal, we will act. But nothing has been confirmed yet,” said Ganesh Rathod, Assistant Commissioner of the Gandhibagh Zone.

NHAI has assured that there is no threat to the Patres. “The flyover is still incomplete. The inner ring is under construction. The family lives on the outer side, and the road will run inside,” Sinha said.