Indian Railways has decided to construct road overbridges (RoBs) at level-crossings based on feasibility studies. The RoBs would be commissioned wherever train-vehicle unit is greater than one lakh.
Where road overbridges are not possible, it will resort to limited use subways and manned level crossings, Union Minister of Railways Mallikarjun Kharge said.
The Puducherry – Villupuram railway line would get five road overbridges which would be completed in the next two years, Mr. Kharge said at the launch of the new Tirupati – Puducherry weekly express here on Tuesday.
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He also laid the stone for an overbridge at Arumparthapuram . Work on an overbridge on 100 Feet Road would start soon, he said.
Both these overbridges would be completed within a year, and the remaining three within two years. Limited use subways would also be constructed at these locations. Work on the connecting road would be undertaken by the Public Works Department.
According to officials of the Southern Railways, the remaining three over bridges would include one near the AFT Mill and one in Kandamangalam.
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Union Minister of State for Prime Minister’s Office V. Narayanasamy said Centre would be appraoched for completion of drinking water schemes introduced by the previous Congress government.
Steps would be taken to ensure that Puducherry was connected to Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Thiruvananthapuram , Jaipur and Ajmer.
The Centre would fully fund the overbridge projects . The cost for each overbridge along with the connecting road is Rs. 25 crore, he said.
According Member Traffic, Railway Board, D.P. Pandey, Mahe and Puducherry railway stations have been identified as “Adarsh stations.” General Manager of Souther Railways Rakesh Mishra was also present.