In Lucknow, what was meant to be a symbol of progress has turned into a daily ordeal for more than 500,000 residents. An incomplete overbridge, which was supposed to ease traffic and provide relief, has instead become a source of constant trouble.

Every morning, from school children to patients heading to hospitals, people are stuck for hours at the railway crossing near Krishna Nagar, waiting for trains to pass. Many risk their lives by crossing the tracks, all because of an incomplete project and tangled land acquisition issues.

The two-lane overbridge, connecting Krishna Nagar to Kesari Kheda over the Lucknow-Kanpur rail section crossing number four, began construction on February 1, 2024, with an estimated cost of ₹74.48 crore, which has now risen to ₹84 crore. Work started but soon stalled when a complex on the planned route became an obstacle. According to the Uttar Pradesh State Bridge Corporation, the complex is registered as a green belt and must be demolished, but the landowners have not agreed to compensation, trapping the project in legal and bureaucratic delays.

Residents of Maharajapuram, Gangakheda, and Pandit Kheda spend their days under the shadow of this unfinished bridge. Traffic jams are a daily reality, sometimes lasting hours, especially when multiple trains pass. Experts say the problem is not technical or financial, but a result of lack of willpower and bureaucratic inertia.

Local residents, like Amit Singh, express frustration that the project has been stalled for six months due to unresolved compensation issues. Despite repeated complaints to authorities, including senior politicians and project officers, residents have only received empty assurances. Essential services, such as ambulances and fire brigades, are often delayed by traffic, leading to tragic incidents, including deaths and property loss.

The situation is so dire that families are forced to keep their children home from school, and even minor errands become major challenges. The persistent traffic jams have also led to an increase in crime, as police patrols cannot reach the area in time.

As the monsoon approaches, residents fear that last year’s scenes of chaos and flooding will repeat, with even greater risk due to the growing population. Locals continue to demand urgent action, hoping that authorities will finally address their plight and deliver the relief that was promised.

Until then, the unfinished overbridge stands as a daily reminder of stalled development and the suffering of half a million people in Lucknow.