Published: June 10, 2026 | Category: Nagpur Local | By: Nagpur Updates Desk
Five months after the bhoomipujan, work has finally begun.
The Public Works Department (PWD) has commenced concretisation of the 6.4-kilometre Kamptee Road stretch from RBI Square to Automotive Square — one of Nagpur’s most heavily used traffic corridors. Work has started from the Automotive Square side, with crews currently working up to Nari Metro Station.
But the timing is raising eyebrows. With the monsoon expected within weeks, thousands of commuters on this critical artery are bracing for months of disruption — with reduced lanes, waterlogging risks, and peak-hour gridlock on the horizon.
Project at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Executing agency | PWD (Public Works Department) |
| Stretch | RBI Square to Automotive Square |
| Total length | 6.4 kilometres |
| Estimated cost | ₹150 crore (original estimate) |
| Awarded at | ₹77 crore (including utility shifting) |
| Work order issued | May 2026 |
| Bhoomipujan | January 2026 (5 months ago) |
| Deadline | 18 months |
| Phase 1 | Automotive Square to Gurudwara (~4 km) |
| Phase 2 | Gurudwara to RBI Square (~2.4 km) |
The ₹77 Crore Surprise
The original project estimate was ₹150 crore. But when tenders were floated, the project was awarded at ₹77 crore — including utility shifting and associated works. That is nearly half the estimated cost.
This significant gap between estimate and award price is worth noting. It could mean:
- More competitive bidding than anticipated
- A revised project scope
- Or — a concern that engineers raise frequently — an unrealistically low bid that may lead to cost revisions later
PWD officials have not explained the ₹73 crore gap between estimate and awarded amount publicly. Nagpur Updates will seek clarification on this from the department.
Two-Phase Execution Plan
PWD has divided the 6.4km concretisation into two clear phases:
Phase 1 — Currently Underway: Work has started from the Automotive Square side — moving towards the Gurudwara. Around 2km has been started from the right side of the road. The phase will cover the stretch from Automotive Square to the Gurudwara — approximately 4km.
A notable additional work in Phase 1: resolving the chronic waterlogging issue at the underpass near the Gurudwara — a perennial monsoon nightmare for commuters on this stretch.
Phase 1 Timeline: Approximately 8 months
Phase 2 — To Follow: The remaining stretch from the Gurudwara to RBI Square will be taken up after Phase 1 is complete.
Overall project deadline: 18 months — but the PWD official stated: “We are planning to complete it before time.”
The 9-km Seamless Concrete Corridor: The Big Picture
The Kamptee Road project does not stand alone. PWD is simultaneously concretising Wardha Road between Rahate Colony and Zero Mile — a ₹25 crore project.
When both are complete, Nagpur will have a seamless 9-km concrete road corridor from Rahate Colony to Automotive Square — passing through:
- Rahate Colony
- Zero Mile
- RBI Square
- Indora
- Sadar
- Railway Station Road
- Dhantoli
- Sitabuldi
- Nari
- Automotive Square
This 9km corridor covers some of Nagpur’s most critical commercial and residential zones — and will be a transformational improvement for hundreds of thousands of daily commuters once complete.
The Monsoon Problem: Timing Could Not Be Worse
Here is the uncomfortable truth about this project’s timing.
The work started in June 2026 — right as Nagpur’s monsoon season begins. The combination of road construction and heavy monsoon rainfall creates a particularly difficult situation for commuters.
Wardha Road: One lane between Rani Jhansi Square and Lokmat Square has already been closed for the ongoing concretisation work — forcing traffic onto a single lane in several sections and causing peak-hour bottlenecks.
Kamptee Road: Now joining Wardha Road in simultaneous disruption. With both roads under concurrent construction, the entire Wardha Road-Kamptee Road arterial corridor faces months of reduced capacity.
The risk: During heavy monsoon rains, construction excavations turn into waterlogged trenches. Reduced carriageway widths already cause congestion — add rain, flooded patches, and slower traffic — and the situation could become genuinely severe.
PWD officials say they are “taking all measures to avoid traffic congestion” — but commuters on both roads will understandably take that assurance with caution given the scale of disruption already visible.
Which Areas Will Be Most Affected?
Commuters on the following routes should prepare for delays over the next 8 months (Phase 1):
- Automotive Square to Nari — work already underway, lane restrictions active
- Nari to Gurudwara — work approaching, expect disruption within weeks
- Rani Jhansi Square to Lokmat Square (Wardha Road) — single-lane restriction already in place
Areas connected to this corridor that will see ripple effects:
- Sitabuldi, Sadar, Dhantoli — traffic from Wardha Road side
- Kamptee, CRPF, Airport corridor — commuters from Kamptee direction
- Indora, Gondi — connecting routes
What Commuters Can Do
If you regularly travel on Kamptee Road or Wardha Road, plan ahead:
Adjust timings. Leave earlier or later than peak hours (8-10 AM and 5-8 PM) to avoid the worst congestion.
Use alternate routes. The Indora-Dighori flyover is awaiting inauguration — once open, it will provide significant relief on the Indora side. The Mominpura Y-shaped flyover will eventually provide relief on the Mominpura corridor.
Use Metro where possible. Nagpur Metro’s Aqua Line serves the Automotive Square area — consider parking and riding if your destination is Metro-accessible.
Monitor PWD updates. Follow Nagpur Traffic Police’s social media for real-time traffic advisories during the construction period.
Q: How long will Kamptee Road work last? Phase 1 (Automotive Square to Gurudwara) will take approximately 8 months. Total project deadline is 18 months — though PWD aims to finish earlier.
Q: Why was the project awarded at ₹77 crore when the estimate was ₹150 crore? The official explanation has not been provided. The ₹73 crore gap is significant and warrants public clarification from PWD.
Q: Will the Gurudwara underpass waterlogging be fixed? Yes — this is specifically included in Phase 1 scope. PWD has confirmed that the chronic waterlogging at the Gurudwara underpass will be addressed as part of this project.
Q: Is Wardha Road also under construction? Yes — a separate ₹25 crore PWD concretisation project is ongoing on Wardha Road between Rahate Colony and Zero Mile. One lane near Rani Jhansi Square-Lokmat Square is already closed.
Q: When will the full 9km corridor be ready? Both projects — Kamptee Road (18-month deadline) and Wardha Road — need to be completed. Realistically, the full seamless 9km concrete corridor may be ready by late 2027 or early 2028.
Worth the Wait — But the Wait Will Hurt
Cement concrete roads last 25-30 years with minimal maintenance — compared to 3-5 years for asphalt in Nagpur’s monsoon conditions. Once complete, the Kamptee Road-Wardha Road concrete corridor will be a genuine long-term improvement for a route that handles extraordinary traffic volumes daily.
But the next 18 months will be painful. Simultaneous construction on both Wardha Road and Kamptee Road — during monsoon — on a corridor that connects some of the city’s busiest zones — is a serious commuter challenge.
Just as Nagpur is managing the Narendra Nagar underpass flood project and multiple flyover projects simultaneously, the city’s commuters are being asked to absorb significant short-term pain for long-term infrastructure gain.
Nagpur Updates will track construction progress on Kamptee Road and Wardha Road and report on any significant traffic developments during the monsoon season.
