Chhattisgarh Congress demands flyover, opposes 'Skywalk' reconstruction

RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh Congress has criticised the state government's decision to reconstruct the 'controversial' skywalk in the state capital, a day after the government announced it would resume work on the unfinished project. The Opposition has stated that instead of spending money on the incomplete skywalk, the government should construct a flyover in line with public demand."A flyover would help address current and future traffic problems effectively. The city’s residents—including intellectuals, traders, doctors, and people from all walks of life—were opposed to the skywalk project from the beginning. Now that the government has decided to rebuild the incomplete skywalk, the public is once again reacting negatively. The government should reconsider its decision and plan to construct a flyover in line with the city's future needs,” stated Congress spokesperson Dhananjay Singh Thakur.He said the initial tender for the skywalk was issued for approximately Rs 37 crore. Just one and a half months after construction began, the tender amount was increased, eventually reaching around Rs 67 crore. Despite this, the skywalk remained incomplete. Now, another tender worth Rs 37 crore has been issued, meaning the total expenditure on the skywalk will be around Rs 104 crore. He argued that this investment will bring no real benefit, as the skywalk is impractical for the city.Thakur further said that the government and BJP leaders should address the city's actual needs and work with a solid plan to avoid any future problems. He asserted that traffic congestion has become a major problem in the city, and the skywalk is not the solution. He concluded that it would be better to abandon the insistence on building the skywalk and instead plan for the construction of a flyover.