Chennai: Residents of Thiruvottriyur and Manali are upset with the state government for delaying the inaugural of completed road overbridge constructed at Thiruvottriyur railway station.
The flyover constructed with a delay of more than five years is now thrown open for two-wheelers but the movement of four wheelers is restricted. According to state government sources, 95 per cent of the bridgework is completed and is likely to be reopened next month. By August the residents of Tiruvottiyur and Manali will be able to use the bridge and avoid a detour of seven kilometers.
The railways and highways have jointly executed the Rs 47 crore project to replace the Mattusandhai level crossing. The bridge measures 13.2 metre-wide and 550 metre-long promising two-way traffic.
Buildings on the Tiruvottiyur side have been razed and the approach roads already widened, sources said. “The bridge was to have been completed two years ago and then the revised deadline was set up in last October again the project got delayed forcing the local residents to stage a demonstration,” said M. Basheer Ahamad, a local resident.
“Local residents and the Communist party members had already posted the delay and we want the bridge to be completed at the earliest,” said R. Jayaraman, former municipal chairman of Thiruvottriyur municipality.
“The project was initially estimated to cost around Rs 25 crore but inordinate delay due to land acquisition and bureaucracy made the project to cost more. In 2009, the project was discussed in the Ambattur municipal council meet but due to high input cost and lack of support from Southern railway, the project was handed over to state highways,” said a civic official with Thiruvottiryur corporation zone.
