The Salem Division of Southern Railway completed the works of rebuilding two waterway bridges that were over 50 years old on railway tracks near Karamadai railway station here on Thursday.
Officials from the Engineering Department in collaboration with Electrical Department (Traction Distribution), Signal and Telecommunication Department and Operating Department and 40 workers were involved in the rebuilding works, official sources said. The waterway bridges would help prevent stagnation of water on tracks during rain. However, as both the existing waterway bridges were made of stone slabs, the officials decided to rebuild it using reinforced cement concrete blocks.
As the special train between Mettupalayam Junction and Dr. M.G.R. Chennai Central was the only train that crossed Karamadai Junction every day in the early mornings and evenings, the officials completed the works in about nine hours on Thursday before the train left Mettupalayam at 7.45 p.m., the sources said.
The two bridges were under two railway tracks that were about 100 m apart from each other near the Karamadai station. Both the waterway bridges were 1.2 m x 1.2 m and the tracks were linked upon completion of work on Thursday to ensure that the train services were not disrupted, the sources said.
