Tirupati: Indian Railways Board has given its approval for construction of a Road Under Bridge (RUB) at the level crossing 107 situated on the busy Tirupati-Renigunta road.
The green signal has been a long-awaited project. It comes as a major relief to thousands of commuters, who have been grappling with daily traffic jams at this crucial railway crossing, which closes due to frequent movement of trains.
Approximately 70–80 trains traverse this crossing each day. On top of it, over 50,000 vehicles pass through this crossing daily. Residents, business owners and daily commuters have been demanding an RUB at this location for years.
In fact, the Railways Board had previously approved this Road Under Bridge. But it got put on hold due to technical difficulties. Now, with efforts of local MP Dr. M. Gurumurthy, the project has been approved by the board. It has also sanctioned ₹12.23 crore, without requiring any contribution from the state government.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Gurumurthy stated, "In response to TTD chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy's request for an RUB, we took up the issue with the Railways. They initially suggested that the bridge can be built in collaboration with the state government. Following further talks, Railways agreed to fully finance the project. We plan to lay the foundation stone for the project by December this year."
Indian Railways Board’s latest order has made it clear that all necessary prerequisites, such as securing the state's approval for closure of the level crossing and, if required, land acquisition, must be completed before finalisation of tenders.
The RUB is especially crucial for eastern part of the temple city, which is experiencing rapid growth with construction of roads under the master plan.
