Work on the ₹76-crore road overbridge (ROB) to replace level crossing 32 at Perungalathur, adjacent to the GST Road, has run into rough weather owing to differences between government departments. Even as the State Highways Department is in the process of finalising the design for constructing its share of the ROB, the National Highways Authority of India has raised clarifications regarding the plan.
The proposal to close the crossing was made several years ago and the work of Southern Railway, which began its portion over the tracks in June 2015, is progressing well. Meanwhile, a source with the NHAI said they had written to their headquarters asking for clearance but got a response citing a planned elevated corridor between Perungalathur and Chengalpattu and suggesting that this ROB was likely to impede that work.
“We have asked the State Highways Department to consider changing the proposal. If they want to go ahead with this, then we would have to take our corridor to a higher level for which they would have to bear the additional cost,” explained an official. The permission of the NHAI is needed as the GST is under its jurisdiction.
State Highways officials said, “Our project is at an advanced stage and so, we have asked the NHAI to provide a solution to this issue in their detailed project report,” a source said.
Sources in the Highways said they were in the process of integrating their drawings with those provided by the Southern Railway. “Once that is completed, we can call for tenders. Already, land acquisition has been completed in Peerkankaranai with the money being disbursed. In Perungalathur, the disbursal will be completed soon,” said an official.
No alternatives
Residents of Perungalathur and Peerkankarani said that while the railway gate was closed, alternative routes for pedestrians were not developed. “The project should not be delayed anymore and completion should be ensured within the stipulated time frame. Each time the level crossing gate closes, vehicles pile up on GST Road, affecting the entire stretch of the road up to the Vandalur road overbridge. It takes up to an hour-and-a-half to get to the other side,” said Perungalathur town panchayat former councillor G. Raman.
Former Peerkankaranai Town Panchayat chairman A.V. Sampathkumar said since the closure of LC 32, more than 10 pedestrians had been killed by speeding trains. “Along with the ROB, facilities for pedestrians too should be created so that they can safely cross the railway lines,” he said.
