The Highways Department is one step closer to beginning work on a 1 km long road overbridge (RoB) to replace level-crossing 29 in Kancheepuram.
Tenders have been floated and kept ready for the ₹51-crore facility that would be four lanes wide. The Highways Department is waiting for preliminary permission from the government to begin the work.
The project would be undertaken along with the Southern Railway, which would construct the portion over the railway tracks. The Railways, along with the State Highways and local bodies, is in the process of replacing level-crossings with subways and RoBs wherever necessary to facilitate smoother flow of traffic and reduce accidents.
Earlier, the Highways Department had to change the original alignment it had proposed as it ran too close to two protected monuments — the Iravadeeswarar and Piravaadeeswarar temples. Now, the ROB would land 50 metres beyond this. “We have planned to take it along the Ponneri lake, which belongs to the PWD. This will minimise the need for land acquisition,” said a source.
Former Municipal Councillor E. Ramanathan of Perumal Street has expressed the hope that traffic congestion near this level crossing, particularly during the morning rush hour, might come down.
Widening junction
At the same time, traffic congestion at the junction of Jawaharlal Nehru Street (Kammala Street) and Senkazhuneer Odai Street (North Raja Veedhi) through which the vehicles have to reach the RoB may become unavoidable. “Steps must be taken to widen the junction during the construction of the RoB,” he said.
Share autorickshaw, and mini-van owners said the new facility would help them operate their services better.
