COIMBATORE: The ambitious Avinashi Road elevated flyover project in Coimbatore has hit a major roadblock near Hopes Junction, as the Southern Railways has granted limited working hours for the construction activity in the area.
With the 10.1-kilometre-long flyover nearing completion, the last major hurdle involves installing eight massive iron girder beams over the railway lines at Hopes - a task that now hangs in the balance due to time constraints and traffic congestion concerns.
The Rs 1,621.30-crore flyover project, which began in December 2020, is being executed by the Special Projects Wing of the State Highways Department to ease traffic congestion on the busy Avinashi Road stretch between Uppilipalayam and Chinniyampalayam. The four-lane elevated corridor is 17.25-metre wide and includes 10.5-metre-wide service roads on both sides, along with stormwater drains and footpaths. Officials said 95% of the work has been completed, and the project was earlier slated for completion by July 30.
However, the critical phase of installing girder beams over the railway track near Hopes Junction remains pending. Due to the presence of the existing railway bridge, columns cannot be erected at that stretch. To bridge the 52-metre gap, officials have planned to use eight iron girders, which have arrived from Hyderabad in parts and are currently being assembled at the Government Polytechnic College Ground. Six of the eight girders have already been assembled.
Speaking to TNIE, a senior official from the Special Projects Wing of the Highways Department stated, "We have permission from the railways to carry out work between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM only, citing the need to avoid disrupting train movement. However, this window coincides with the peak traffic hours on Avinashi Road, which sees heavy flow from colleges, IT parks, and commercial establishments. Diverting traffic at this time is practically impossible."
Given these logistical challenges, Coimbatore District Collector Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar has taken the matter into his hands. He has held discussions with the General Manager of Southern Railways and urged the Railway Board to allow work to be carried out during night hours instead. However, due to nighttime train traffic on the route, the Railways is hesitant to provide the nod.
"Installing a single girder requires at least 1.5 hours. At this rate, it will take eight days to complete all installations. But if we get even 3 to 4 hours during the night, we can finish the task in just four days. We are planning to start the work by next week," the highways official added.
With public anticipation high and traffic snarls worsening daily, officials say that unless the Railways revise their approval, the flyover may not be ready for public use by the end of July as initially promised.