Dhanushkodi, once a flourishing town on the eastern end of Rameswaram island and obliterated in the 1964 cyclonic storm, is all set to regain its lost glory as the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways sanctioned the second phase of road till Arichalmunai, the tip of the land strip.
As the first phase of five-km-long road link from Muhuntharayar Chathiram to Dhansushkodi in the sandy stretch is set to be completed by the end of October, the Centre has sanctioned 4.5-km-long second stretch between Dhanushkodi and Arichalmunai for Rs. 28.16 crore, official sources said.
Though the Centre had sanctioned the project two months ago, the award of contract after completing tender process could not be completed.
The Ministry had called for tenders in April but recalled it after the bidders quoted more than 30 per cent above the sanctioned amount, the sources said.
In the fresh tender, which was called on May 14, the contractors quoted ‘much above’ the estimated cost and the local company, which was laying the first stretch of the road, quoted the least of 19.9 per cent above the estimated cost, the sources said.
The papers had been sent to the authorities and if the Ministry gave its consent for the tender, the work would be awarded to the local company under the Engineering Procure Contract (EPC) mode and the work would begin next month, the sources added.
The second phase of the road would also be laid as per the design obtained from the Department of Ocean Engineering of the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras, erecting Gabion boxes on both sides to protect the road from possible tidal action, the sources said.
The first phase of the road was nearing completion and the boxes had been erected for about 3.5 km on the right side and 2.4 km on the left. Once road connectivity was provided up to Arichalmunai, pilgrims could be relieved of the rough jeep rides, the sources added.
