Work on the one km-long road overbridge (RoB) to replace level crossing 29 on the Chennai – Ponnerikarai- Kancheepuram line adjacent to the Kancheepuram railway station is progressing well and keeping pace with the schedule so far.
Already, 200 of the 324 piles have been completed by the Highways Department and the Southern Railway too has finished the piling work on its 49.4 mt portion. The ₹50 crore work began in May this year and has been scheduled to be completed in May 2019. Sources in the Highways Department said that acquisition for less than 1,000 sq mt of land was under way. “The land is needed for a curve on the serve lane. The four-lane bridge will take off on the existing road across the railway platform and take a left and land on the road,” the official explained.
The alignment of the RoB was changed after two temples under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India — Iravadeeswarar and Piravaadeeswarar — were situated close by. The present alignment allows the Highways Department to construct along the Ponneri lake, which has reduced the need for land acquisition. The railway gate continues to remain operational and will be closed on completion of the project.
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The railway gate is used by people going to work in Parandhur, Vedal, Cheyyar industrial estate and other areas and has seen a huge increase in traffic in recent years. Traffic jams are a daily occurrence at the gate and the roads leading to it. “It is especially difficult during rush hour and we hope the project would be completed ahead of schedule, said K. Balaji, a resident.