By News18
It was meant to ease travel for many but in Para, Lucknow, the Krishnanagar-Kesari Khera overbridge ended up going nowhere quite literally. A video of the under-construction flyover recently gained widespread attention on social media. What caught everyone’s eye was that the flyover appeared to run straight into a building. Iron bars from the structure seemed to connect directly to the building’s wall almost as if the bridge had been built into it.
The bizarre visual spread online with many people jokingly calling it the “eighth wonder of the world.” Stand-up comic Tarun Lucknowi shared the video of the flyover which has received more than two million views.
But behind the viral moment was a serious issue that had stalled the project for months. It was a land dispute that left part of the bridge hanging mid-air.
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Why Was The Flyover Needed
For years, people living in areas like Maharajapuram, Pandit Khera, Gangakheda, Kesarikheda and Bhawanipuram faced daily traffic jams. According to a report in The Times of India, the railway crossing between Krishnanagar and Kesarikheda shuts over 60 times a day to let trains pass. With every closure, commuters have to wait for 15–20 minutes which causes major delays during peak hours.
Residents had been demanding an overbridge to ease this regular trouble. Defence Minister and Lucknow MP Rajnath Singh helped get the project approved by the state government and the railways.
When overbridge meets building… Flyover to nowhere
byu/FAQnA inlucknow
The 2-lane, nearly 1-kilometre-long railway overbridge (ROB), estimated to cost Rs 74 crore was expected to connect Indralok Colony near Krishnanagar’s Traffic Park to Kesarikheda. The foundation stone was laid on July 17, 2023, and work began in February 2024. The report mentioned that 75 per cent of the work has already been completed.
Unexpected Roadblock
As per the report, the main issue arose when construction reached the Krishnanagar-Kesari Khera crossing in Para. Houses and shops stood directly in the flyover’s path and their owners had not yet received compensation.
As construction continued in areas that were not affected, this bottleneck remained untouched for nearly three months. That is why videos and images of the flyover meeting a residential building surfaced online.
Dispute Resolved
According to a report in Amar Ujala, the Public Works Department (PWD) stepped in to resolve the matter. On Saturday, June 28, a six-member team measured land belonging to 31 different people. The compensation was calculated at twice the circle rate for agricultural land which is Rs 7,240 per square metre. The original rate was Rs 3, 620 per square metre.
The report mentioned that among the owners were farmers and others who had purchased plots over the years. The largest portion (about 320 square metres) belongs to the families of Pankaj Yadav, Sumit Yadav and Ramkishore.
Deepu, one of the plot owners who also ran a building materials shop, said he will receive Rs 1.36 lakh for 24.385 sq m of land that will be used for the flyover. As per the report, he had originally bought 1300 sq ft of land at Rs 400 per sq ft years ago.
Demolition Underway, Work To Resume Soon
Uttar Pradesh Rajya Setu Nigam officials said that demolition of the building complex is already underway. As of Saturday, more than half of the third floor had been demolished. It will take about seven to eight days to fully bring down the structure and clear the debris, Amar Ujala reported.
Once the structure is fully removed, the remaining construction work on the overbridge will continue.