COIMBATORE: The State Highways Department is set to begin the construction of a railway overbridge at the NGGO colony railway gate in Thudiyalur. Sources said the work may commence in a month once land acquisition is completed.
An official from the State Highways Department said, “The overbridge will be constructed at an estimated cost of `44 crore and will be one kilometre long. Two service roads, each measuring 18 feet wide, will also be constructed. For this purpose, 3.4 acres of land has already been acquired.”
Sources said the over-bridge would start near the South Indian Bank on NGGO Colony Road and extend to the Asian Paints office at Teachers Colony. This will link Mettupalayam Road with Sathyamangalam Road via Idigarai, providing a more efficient route for thousands travelling to Idigarai and Kovilpalayam.
The Highways Department officials added that the railways will contribute half of the project cost. After a survey conducted in 2022, it was found that around 27,000 vehicles used the level crossing daily, which closes about 15 times a day.
Sources added that a recent survey conducted by the Railways, Highways, Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC), Revenue, Road Safety Committee, and the transport department, assessed alternative routes to minimise traffic disruption during the bridge’s construction.
Based on recommendations from the police, plans to widen the curves at four points along the proposed alternative route and to relocate some electricity poles are in progress. With these preparations underway, the construction of the overbridge is anticipated to begin shortly, making a major step forward in easing traffic congestion and improving connectivity in the region.