Indian Railways has approved a four-lane road over bridge (ROB) at Alkapuri in Vadodara, at a cost of Rs 166.5 crore, to replace the low underpass beside Vadodara railway station. The Railways and the Gujarat government will split the bill equally, at about Rs 83.28 crore each, ANI reported on September 24. DeshGujarat and Swarajya carried the same figures.
Why the underpass falls short
The Alkapuri road under bridge (RUB) carries east-west traffic beneath the tracks between Alkapuri and the Kalaghoda side of the city. Its vertical clearance of about 3 metres keeps buses and larger trucks out. A traffic assessment for the project counted more than 1,600 passenger car units an hour at peak, along with several conflict points and poor pedestrian space, according to the railway details both outlets reported.
The bigger problem arrives with the monsoon. When the Vishwamitri river rises, the city shuts the Alkapuri underpass along with the Kalaghoda and Mangal Pandey bridges. DeshGujarat reported one such closure in July 2024 when the river crossed 28 feet, and Gujarat First reported the underpass still under water and closed days later during the August 2024 floods. Each closure squeezes cross-city traffic onto the few remaining ways over the rail line.
What changes for commuters
An overbridge lifts the road above the tracks, so rainwater and river levels stop deciding whether it stays open, and the height limit goes. The ROB will also link three transport hubs that sit close together: Vadodara railway station, the GSRTC bus station and the upcoming bullet train station. As the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed line opens in stages, passenger numbers around the station will climb, and a 3-metre underpass leaves little room for that growth.
For residents of Alkapuri, Sayajigunj and the old city, the practical gain is a crossing that works in August. Autorickshaw drivers, school buses and ambulances that now detour during every heavy spell would get a direct route.
The cost split also means two budgets have to move. Neither report said which state agency will carry Gujarat’s Rs 83.28 crore share or build the approach ramps. Those ramps will have to come down in some of the busiest streets around the station and Kalaghoda, and their design will decide how much road space, and how many roadside shops, the project takes during and after construction.
What to watch
- Tendering and a construction timeline. Neither the Railways nor the state has announced one.
- Traffic diversions during construction. Building an ROB next to a busy station usually means months of restricted lanes, and Vadodara will need a plan for the Alkapuri-Kalaghoda route while work runs.
- Whether the Vadodara Municipal Corporation keeps the old underpass open for two-wheelers and pedestrians after the bridge opens.
Sources: ANI, DeshGujarat, Swarajya, DeshGujarat (2024 closure), Gujarat First
This report was compiled and written with AI assistance from publicly reported sources, and reviewed for accuracy.