A.M. Ariff, MP, has sought the intervention of Railway Minister Piyush Goyal for the speedy construction of two rail overbridges (ROBs) at Malikamukku and Kuthirapanthy, as part of the Alappuzha bypass project.
Almost 96% of the bypass has been completed, but slow progress in ROBs’ construction was delaying the project. Mr. Ariff met the Railway Minister and told him that the State government was planning to open the bypass to traffic next month. “The State government has already deposited ₹7.13 crore with Railways for the construction of the two ROBs. But, to start the work Railways need to regulate trains and remove electrical lines,” Mr. Ariff said.
Officials said that steel girders, needed for the construction of ROBs had been brought to Alappuzha several months ago. The bypass work, which got under way on April 10, 2015, was originally set to be completed in September 2017. However, the project got delayed and the deadline was extended to May 28, 2018 and further to August 31, 2018. After the second deadline was missed, Public Works Minister G. Sudhakaran said that the government would not announce a new date for the completion of the project.
Once completed, the bypass is expected to bring relief to Alappuzha town, which has been witnessing traffic snarls on its arterial roads for several years now.
