MP Nalin Kumar Kateel on Thursday inaugurated the reconstructed old railway underbridge on National Highway 75 at Padil. The underbridge had been under construction for three years.
The construction of the underbridge to replace the old one on BC Road-Mangaluru carriageway of NH 75 commenced in December 2017 by diverting inbound traffic on the newly constructed railway underbridge on the Mangaluru-BC Road carriageway. The railway underbridge on Mangaluru-BC Road carriageway too has been prone to flooding during heavy rain due to the absence of proper drainage facility.
Initially, it was the Southern Railway that delayed erecting the superstructure of the second railway underbridge that involved the construction of concrete boxes in-situ and the removal of some trees and electric installations in the location. Even after Southern Railway completed the process and allowed NHAI to asphalt the carriageway and build shoulder drains in December 2019, the NHAI did not take up construction work till about March this year.
The railway underbridges are part of work to four-lane NH 75 between BC Road and Nanthoor and NH 66 between Nanthoor and Surathkal under the Port Connectivity Project. While NHAI has completed most part of the work and is collecting hefty toll at BC Road and Surathkal, some missing links are yet to be completed.
No street lights
Meanwhile, Harniish Raj, an entrepreneur having his office at Padil, regretted that the entire stretch around the two underbridges lacks street lighting. It would be difficult for riders and drivers to negotiate the stretch. Lighting was required inside the underbridge on Mangaluru-BC Road carriageway too as it was pitch dark inside because of its low height, Mr. Raj said.
