KOCHI: The Atlantis railway overbridge (RoB) project can’t seem to catch a break. Even the recent announcement by the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala (RBDCK) that construction of four more RoBs will be completed within the next two months, as part of the ‘Level-crossing Free Kerala’ initiative, didn’t feature the long-pending Atlantis RoB project.
The overbridges scheduled for completion by May 31 are: Tanur–Theyyala (Rs 35.19 crore), Koduvally–Thalassery (Rs 33.37 crore), Vadanamkurussi (Rs 29.61 crore), and Chirayinkeezhu (Rs 21.93 crore).
The Atlantis RoB project has been entangled in delays associated with land acquisition. The project dates back to 2015 when the state government sanctioned Rs 77 crore for acquiring land. However, the amount proved inadequate. In 2022, the state government sanctioned an additional Rs 40 crore through the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (Kiifb).
“However, only 80% of the land has so far been acquired,” a railway official said. According to the official, the national rail transporter is responsible only for construction activity on its land. “The approach road for the RoB has to be constructed by RBDCK. And this is where the delay has happened,” the official said.
Speaking to TNIE, an RBDCK official said it is true that the Atlantis RoB has not made it to the list of projects that have been targeted for completion within two months. “It is also true that only 80% of land has been acquired,” he said.
The official added that 39 properties fall under the alignment of the RoB. “Of these, 29 have been acquired by properly compensating owners. The land-acquisition process in the case of five properties is taking place. However, owners of the remaining five have obtained a stay order from the High Court. Hence the delay.”
According to him, as of now, the project will take off only when the stay order is vacated and the properties are acquired. “But, we hope that the snag that the land-acquisition process has hit will soon be resolved,” the RBDCK official added.
However, as the project is delayed, the travel woes of motorists who use the road connecting MG Road with Panampilly Nagar gets prolonged.
The Atlantis RoB was proposed to ease traffic congestion on either side of the Ernakulam South Overbridge. If the project becomes a reality, vehicles from the Sahodaran Ayyappan Road moving towards Thevara and Ravipuram will be able to take a left turn from Manorama Junction and reach the Atlantis Bridge through Panampilly Nagar. The bridge will also come as a boon for commuters from Girinagar.
The project was presented along with the Pachalam and Vaduthala RoBs. However, the Pachalam RoB was opened years ago and Vaduthala RoB is set to become a reality soon. The land-acquisition process for the Vaduthala RoB project has been completed and the land handed over to RBDCK.
Legal tangle
The state government sanctioned Rs 77 crore for acquiring land in 2015 but the amount proved inadequate
In 2022, the government sanctioned an additional I40 crore through KIIFB
Only 29 of 39 properties falling under RoB acquired
Project will take off only after stay order on land acquisition is vacated