The city police on Thursday removed hundreds of residents for blocking road at the Podanur four-road junction demanding speedy completion of the bridge across the level crossing at Nanjundapuram.
The agitators came under the banner of Nanjundapuram Railway Bridge Struggle Committee. They said the works for the construction of the bridge began in 2010 with a time frame of 18 months, at a cost of Rs 12.6 crore. Even after 18 months, the work progressed at a snail’s pace.
Though the committee submitted petition to the Collector, and staged agitations, there was little progress in the work and more than 2,500 people living on either side of the railway line continued to suffer for the last three years. The make shift road was not at all in a motorable condition. Citing the cost escalation, an additional Rs. 5.25 crore was allocated. Despite land acquisition and enhanced allocation, the work was not progressing, and hence the agitation, they said in a release.
