TIRUCHY: A wait of almost eight years came to an end on Tuesday after the Ministry of Defence granted permission to complete the unfinished arm of the Tiruchy ROB.
Tiruchy ROB, one of the prominent development project proposed to decongest the city traffic, remained unfinished as the Tamil Nadu government and State Highway Department failed to procure the Defence Ministry's nod to transfer 0.66 acres of land needed to construct the landing arm of the bridge that connects to Chennai bypass road near Manappuram.
Following the efforts from revenue administration, the State Highway Department, along with Tiruchy MP Su Thirunavukarasar, finally reaped benefits with the ministry providing permission to begin construction. Although for several years a possibility of land transfer was being negotiated in lieu of the 0.66 acres, but the final nod has been provided to the deal of creating Equal Value Infrastructure (EVI).
Under this, the State Highway Department will construct infrastructure as required by the Defence Ministry at a cost of Rs 8.45 crore. An indenting agency, including the Collector, State Highway Department and Defence Ministry representative, will be created. Suitable projects required will also be discussed and the construction to the above mentioned value will be executed.
If the cost of infrastructure is less than the estimated cost, the remaining amount will be deposited in the Consolidated Fund of India by the indenting agency, according to the norms set by the Defence Ministry in the grant of permission order.
It can be noted, in Tiruchy ROB, which consists of a total of five arms -- Dindigul highway, Central bus stand, railway junction, Crawford and Chennai highway, two arms of the bridge were opened in 2016. With the remaining two opened later in the subsequent two years, one arm of the bridge has remained closed with barricades at least since 2018.
Thirunavukarasar told The New Indian Express, "It was one of my poll promises in the 2019 elections and I feel happy on fulfilling it for the people of Tiruchy. The project construction will begin shortly and the complete bridge will be open to public.