A rail overbridge (ROB) in Bhopal’s Aishbagh area, widely criticized for its sharp “90-degree” turn, actually has a turn of 118-119 degrees, according to an expert report submitted to the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Wednesday. The finding, presented by a professor from Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), has prompted the state government to seek time to reconsider its blacklisting of M/s Puneet Chaddha, the firm contracted for the bridge’s construction.

The 648-meter-long, Rs 18-crore bridge, intended to ease traffic congestion, sparked outrage when images of its sharp turn went viral on social media in June 2025, raising safety concerns. The state government responded by suspending seven Public Works Department (PWD) engineers and blacklisting the construction firm and its design consultant, citing a “faulty design.” M/s Puneet Chaddha challenged the blacklisting in court, arguing it followed the government-issued General Arrangement Drawing (GAD) and was not given a fair hearing.

The MANIT professor’s report, presented to the division bench of Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdev and Justice Vinay Saraf, confirmed the bridge’s turn aligns with the GAD’s specified 118-119 degrees, not 90 degrees as widely reported. The court granted the government’s request for time to review its actions against the firm, scheduling the next hearing for September 17 and ordering the report shared with all parties.

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The controversy highlighted coordination issues between the PWD and Railways, with a probe committee noting misaligned pillars and the rail track’s position under the bend. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has formed a committee to recommend improvements, with plans to widen the turn by three feet and add speed breakers to enhance safety before the bridge’s inauguration.

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