SALEM: Residents of Attur urged authorities to expedite the long-pending work on the Attur-Rasipuram railway overbridge, alleging that construction is progressing very slowly since it began nearly six years ago.
With the central portion over the Salem-Vriddhachalam railway track still pending, commuters are forced either to use a narrow subway or take an alternate route that adds around 15-20 km to their journey.
The overbridge is being constructed on Rasipuram Pirivu Road under the Tamil Nadu Road Sector Project, a specialised wing of the state highways department. While most approach-road works on either side of the railway track have been completed, the portion over the railway line and works on both sides are pending.
Residents said the delay was causing difficulties, particularly during peak hours, school timings, weekends and festive seasons. The subway provided for commuters as a temporary arrangement is too narrow for heavy vehicles, while even cars cannot pass each other inside the passage, they said.
V L Shanmugam, a resident of Attur, said the project was incomplete for nearly five years despite covering a short stretch."Work has been progressing very slowly. Most of the time, only two or three people can be seen at the site, with little visible progress," he said. He said that when a car enters the subway, vehicles from the opposite side have to be stopped at the other end, he said.
A container lorry also got stuck inside the subway a week ago, causing major traffic disruption and at times, traffic queues extend for two to three kilometres, residents added.
P Mohan Raj, another resident, said the situation was particularly difficult during emergencies. "During accidents or medical emergencies, the narrow subway becomes a big problem.
Heavy vehicles cannot use it, while the alternate road is already around 15 km longer and is also in poor condition with bumps along the way," he said.
A railway official associated with the Salem division of Southern Railway said the project was being implemented by the state highways department, while the Railways' role was mainly to approve and monitor works involving the railway portion.
The official said the central portion over the railway track would be constructed by the Highways Department after obtaining the necessary approvals from the Railways, which has been involved in approving and monitoring various stages of the work, including material testing and other technical processes.
A senior State Highways Department official said the approach-road works were completed in 2022, with 18 of the 23 bridge decks done and five remaining.
The completed portions have been constructed on land belonging to the State Highways Department, while the major pending work involves the erection of a 60-metre bowstring girder over the railway track. The official said the construction process involved several stages of inspection and approval by different railway officials, with material testing and fabrication having to be cleared before the subsequent stages could begin.
According to the official, the girder is almost ready, and the Railways has recently granted approval for its erection. It is expected to be brought to the site and erected within a month. Once the girder is erected, the Highways Department will take up the remaining works, including finishing works on both sides of the bridge, which are expected to take a few more months, the official said.
The department is planning to open the bridge for public use by mid-2027, the official added.
