CHENNAI: After a wait of three decades, residents of Korukkupet in North Chennai can finally rejoice as the construction work on the railway overbridge (RoB) at Korukkupet railway station will begin soon, replacing the level crossing (LC) gate. The foundation stone for the project will be laid on Wednesday.
The RoB, at an outlay of `96 crore, will be jointly constructed by the Chennai Corporation and Southern Railway, and connect Korukkupet railway station and nearby bus terminus. It will provide a seamless commute for motorists on Manali road and improve connectivity to Tondiarpet, Korukkupet, Mint and Manali.
The two-lane bridge with a carriageway of 7.4m will be 840m long and have a 1m-wide footpath. The portion of the bridge, about 72m, which passes over the tracks will be built by the railways. “After completing work on the RoB, two more will be built to shut LC gates 2 and 2A on Manali road,” said a railway official.
Korukkupet and neighbouring areas have been plagued with traffic congestion for years due its proximity with Chennai and Ennore ports. The delay in closing LC-2B has made commuting a nightmare for motorists with long traffic snarls during peak hours, say residents.
S Rajesh Kumar, of Kannan street, said trains pass through the station every 15-20 minutes, affecting traffic on Manali Road and Kannan Street, especially during peak hours. According to the traffic police, about 1,50,000 vehicles pass through the level crossing gate each day.
With roughly 170 trains passing on the Chennai - Gummidipundi section daily, including suburban, express and goods trains, the railways and the corporation have faced immense pressure to build a subway for the past two decades. In 2007, the corporation proposed to build a subway to shut the LC gate, however, the plans were delayed due to issues in land acquisition.