The construction work on the Rs.16.66-crore rail overbridge at the junction of Kathivakkam High Road-Cochrane Basin Road is expected to be completed by March 2012, Mayor M.Subramanian said on Tuesday.
Speaking to presspersons after inspecting the work, he said that a flyover to replace the level-crossing at the location was a long pending demand of the residents of Korukkupet. The work is being jointly executed by the Southern Railway and Chennai Corporation. Of the total Rs.16.66 crore, the civic body will provide Rs.12.20 crore and the Southern Railway Rs.4.46 crore, he said.
Delay over land acquisition
The work had been delayed as a couple of residents had gone to court against land acquisition for the project. Shifting of service lines also took over a year.
Though the civic body had paid Rs.1.60 crore to the Chennai Metrowater in November 2007 for shifting of service lines, the work was completed only in March 2009, after which the piling work commenced in August 2009.
A total of 101 huts on railway land on Cochrane Basin Road were also removed and the residents provided with alternative accommodation at Semmanchery by the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board.
All the 52 piles, 13 pile caps, 13 piers and 7 out of 13 pier caps had been completed so far.
The Southern Railway is expected to complete its work by the end of this year after which the Corporation would take three more months to complete the work, Mr. Subramanian said.
