The decision comes amid ongoing efforts to remove BRTS railings, bus stops and overhead beams following strong observations made earlier by the Madhya Pradesh High Court. While the civic body had engaged a contractor to execute the dismantling, the contractor withdrew after a meeting with the municipal commissioner, citing financial concerns.
According to IMC officials, the contractor argued that the valuation of scrap material, including railings and structural components, assessed by the corporation was far higher than market expectations. This, the contractor claimed, rendered the project economically unviable and led to anticipated losses, resulting in a work stoppage.
With the contractor stepping back, the responsibility of removing the remaining BRTS infrastructure has now shifted entirely to the municipal corporation. The sudden halt has created logistical challenges, particularly as partial removal of railings has already altered traffic patterns on several stretches.
Public Works Committee in-charge Rajendra Rathore said the idea of reusing dismantled railings as temporary dividers was discussed during a recent Mayor-in-Council (MIC) meeting. “At many locations, railings have been removed on one side while the other side still has bus stops and barriers. Temporary dividers will help regulate traffic and reduce confusion,” Rathore said. The proposal was later placed before the mayor, who gave his approval.
IMC officials confirmed that railings in front of bus stops are being removed first to ease bus movement, which has been disrupted since the partial dismantling of the BRTS corridor. Buses are currently sharing space with mixed traffic, leading to congestion during peak hours.
Adding another layer of complexity, a tender related to constructing a permanent central divider has been put on hold after it emerged that the Public Works Department (PWD) plans to build a central divider along the same stretch as part of a proposed elevated corridor project. PWD and IMC officials are expected to hold consultations to avoid duplication of work.
The future course of the BRTS removal will now depend on the next High Court hearing and coordination between multiple agencies. Until then, temporary measures are likely to remain in place as the city navigates the transition.
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