Odathurai bridge, a step closer towards completion

Built at a cost of Rs. 28.50 cr, the bridge is likely to be completed by January

Work on the Odathurai bridge is in full swing. Photo: A. Muralitharan

The new road over bridge (ROB) coming up along the Cauvery banks at Odathurai in the city seems to be inching closer towards completion as the railway authorities has assured to complete its works by January.

The railway authorities have conveyed its commitment in response to an online grievance filed by M. Sekaran, president, Federation of Consumer and Service Organisations, complaining over the delay in construction of the railway portion of the bridge. The delay in the construction railway portion of the bridge and an ownership dispute over a piece of land at the project site have been holding up the completion of the ROB.

The railway authorities had earlier terminated a contract allegedly because of the poor progress made in the work by the contractor and went for a fresh tender. The work is currently under way in full swing. Sources said that once the railway portion of the bridge was built, adjoining decks would be built by the Highways Department.

The bridge, which would connect the Chinthamani area of the city with the Chennai Bypass Road, was sanctioned at a cost of Rs. 28.50 crore. As was the procedure, the railways had taken up construction of the bridge on its land at the site and the Highways Department was entrusted with the task of building the rest of the structure. The project which took off in March 2010 faced several hurdles right from the start and has overshot its scheduled completion date in March 2012.

Although the Highways Department has completed a major portion of its work, the project could not be completed due to the two final glitches.

The Highways Department could not erect a pile for the bridge on the city side owing to a litigation (between an individual and the HR and CE Department) on a dispute over the ownership of a piece of land at the project site. The case is pending before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court.

The department has sought permission to allow it to take up the work at the disputed site, pending the disposal of the case and payment of compensation.

The highways department has also been forced to go slow on the construction of a new bridge across the railway crossing near Periyar Nagar on the Thiruvanaikovil Trunk Road. For, only after the Odathurai bridge was completed, traffic could be diverted through it to allow the construction work to be taken up on the Thiruvanaikovil Trunk Road.