Chennai: Bridge work promised for residents of Korattur and Villivakkam is set to break a new record in Chennai as the most delayed bridge proposal in the capital city.
The proposal to construct three new bridges to decongest level crossings between Villivakkam and Korattur was mooted during the first UPA regime and the inordinate delays is all set to surpass the previous record of Perambur bridge, which took more than nine years for completion.
Of the three bridges proposed to decongest level crossings, only one road under bridge at Villivakkam has seen the light of the day.
The ongoing construction of the road under bridge (RUB) at the railway level crossing 4 (LC4) in Korattur for which administrative sanction was given in 2010 is expected to finish by March next year, prolonging the woes of pedestrians and motorist, who use long detours due to the permanent closing of the railway gate for construction work.
According to students and local residents, the situation has turned from bad to worse as members of public are forced to take long detours after the recent indefinite closing of the railway gate since October first week. School students now take a longer time to reach schools. This has led to schools giving grace time for latecomers.
Since 2013, when the construction of a road over bridge (ROB) was proposed, commuters across the railway gate have been facing this issue when the railway gate was closed that time.
But now work is in progress for the construction of a RUB with the railways laying the boxes and girders.
According to senior officials, the work is going at a good pace, but the monsoons make it difficult to finish laying boxes in the time that it should ideally be taking – 45 days.
“We have an obligation towards vehicle users and school-going students but this work picked up steam after the laying of 5th and 6th lines near Basin Bridge. The pushing of boxes is expected to be over by December and the RUB will be functional by March 2017,” said Anupam Sharma, Chennai divisional railway manager, Southern Railway.
“Since we have laid girders on the boxes for the movement of trains, even trains run slow in that area, a major concern for us which is making us expedite the work,” he said adding that he carried out inspections recently. The laying of the RUB is going to benefit people who have been waiting for long for an over/ under bridge, he said.
