The Rs 3.32 billion (bn) Ajni Laxman Jhula six-lane twin cable-stayed bridge project has entered a stage in which the first phase is likely to miss its pre-monsoon completion target, with significant work still pending at the site. The structure is intended to replace the 125-year-old British-era Ajni railway overbridge.

Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MRIDC), also known as MahaRail, is constructing one carriageway in the first phase, comprising three lanes to allow two-way traffic, while the second carriageway will be taken up after demolition of the existing bridge. Once fully completed, both carriageways will operate as one-way roadways to improve traffic flow between South and Central Nagpur.

The project has experienced repeated delays owing to design modifications linked to parallel infrastructure projects, complexities of working directly above a busy railway line and prolonged statutory approval processes for the cable-stayed elements. MRIDC has completed two major abutments on either side of the railway, and work on the central pylon is underway, with the remaining pylon work estimated to require about one month. Precasting of slabs has been completed, and girders are being readied, but several key components remain unfinished.

Construction began in April 2023, and the authority initially planned to open one side by October 2025, a schedule later moved to March 2026 and then to the pre-monsoon period; however, a recent site inspection indicated substantial residual work, making that target unlikely. MRIDC has not issued an official revised completion date, and sources indicate the first phase may now be finished only by the end of the year.

Once operational the twin cable-stayed bridge is expected to reduce traffic congestion substantially and enhance connectivity across central Nagpur while also serving as an architectural landmark with LED theme lighting, footpaths on both sides and dedicated selfie points. Phased construction has avoided the need for traffic diversions and the design prepared by a Taiwan-based firm and approved by IIT Bombay has required multiple technical clearances that have contributed to the execution timeline.