COIMBATORE: Nearly two decades after it was first announced, work on the Neelikonampalayam Railway Overbridge (ROB) project is set to gather some steam as the state highways department has initiated the process to acquire additional land for the long-pending project.
The department has sought an additional Rs 11.4 crore for land acquisition, over and above the original estimated project cost of Rs 73.9 crore for the proposed 2.3-km flyover. Officials have also issued notices identifying the properties and land required for acquisition.
The ROB was first announced in 2006 to provide connectivity between Neelikonampalayam and SIHS Colony. Though the railway portion of the bridge, including the steel structure across the tracks, was completed years ago, the project remained incomplete due to delays in acquiring land on either side of the railway crossing.
According to officials, 1,888 sq.m of land is required on one side and another 1,901.30 sq.m on the other. The land acquisition wing of the highways department has initiated the process.
The project was originally planned as a 1.1-km ROB to cross railway level crossing 5 at Neelikonampalayam. The proposal was later expanded into a 2.3-km flyover, beginning near Vasantha Mill Road and ending at Brindavan Nagar, near the Coimbatore International Airport service road. The revised plan is aimed at providing better connectivity to the airport from Trichy Road.
The railway gate currently causes frequent traffic bottlenecks, particularly during peak hours and whenever trains pass through the crossing. The proposed flyover is expected to provide a grade-separated alternative for motorists.
The construction work, initially handled by the state highways rural roads wing, was subsequently transferred to highways division-II after the rural roads wing was dissolved.
Speaking to TNIE, a senior highways department official said, "The final DPR is being prepared. Earlier, the project cost was estimated to be Rs 73.9 crore for the 2.3-km-long flyover. Now, we have requested an additional Rs 11.4 crore for land acquisition. The proposal will be sent to the CLA, which will recommend sanction of the funds."
The official added that the work is expected to begin in the coming months once the funds are allocated.
The state highways department had planned to construct an ROB at the Neelikonampalayam railway level crossing (LC-5), in addition to the ROBs at SIHS Colony and Thanneerpandal Road. While the SIHS Colony ROB, which faced years of delay, was opened to the public last year, the long-stalled Thanneerpandal ROB has also seen renewed momentum, with construction works currently under way.
