The district administration has sent a proposal to the State government seeking approval for the land acquisition for the construction of bridge road across the level crossing in Needamangalam. Needamangalam road has two level-crossings and the need for constructing the bridge warrants acquisition of land at three villages.
Traffic snarls are a serious problem as the gates at these crossings are closed at least for seventeen times a day as a number of passenger and Express trains besides goods trains from Karaikal cross the station on the Karaikal – Thanjavur - Tiruchi section. The problem is at its worst as the Cuddalore – Mysore National Highway 67 crosses the railway line. It takes at least one hour for crossing the gate and resulting in traffic hold-up all through the day at Needamangalam.
Realising the need for an over-bridge road, the district administration has taken up a proposal for the acquisition of land for the plan.
M. Mathivanan, District Collector, told The Hindu on Monday that the land needed to be acquired for the formation of road at three villages – Kottaiyur, Vaiyakalathur, and Olimadhi villages. In all, about three acres of land, including wetland, needed to be acquired for the facility.
The district administration has sought the State government’s permission for acquiring the land. “A specific procedure is needed for acquiring the wetlands for use for some utility such as formation of road. The State government has accorded its concurrence for dry land acquisition in the proposal,” he said.
Railway completes work
The Railways had executed its component across one of the level-crossings at Needamangalam. “We have executed the work about a year ago and the district administration should hand over the land after acquisition to the National Highways department,” a Railway official told The Hindu .
The railways has constructed its component in accordance with the alignment designed about five years ago, the official said and added that the work would be executed in course of time as scheduled.
Sometimes, the traffic is held up for one hour
Railways has completed its component on one of the bridges
