Construction of overbridge near Tiruchi Railway Junction makes slow progress

Construction of a new overbridge near the Railway Junction in the city is making slow progress, more than 15 months after it was formally inaugurated in March 2024.

The first stage of the project, which is being executed jointly by the railways and the Highways Department, was completed in 2023 after much delay due to land acquisition and alienation.

Under the second stage, the existing narrow bridge across the railway line near the Tiruchi Junction had been dismantled and a new one was being built. The bridge would run between Aristo roundabout and P&T Colony near Mannarpuram. The overbridge would include arms leading towards the railway junction and its rear entrance at Kallukuzhi.

While the railways will build the bridge above the busy Tiruchi-Madurai line, the Highways Department will construct the approaches at a cost of about ₹16 crore

Although Municipal Administration Minister K. N. Nehru inaugurated the second stage of project ahead of the Lok Sabha election notification in 2024, the work could begin only after traffic diversions were enforced in October.

The Highways Department had begun construction of the approach roads in December after the railways dismantled the old bridge. Only recently the department built the first deck. The project, which was slated to be completed by April 2025 as per the Highways Department schedule, has already overshot the deadline.

According to sources, the work on the portion above the tracks is expected to be completed by August when the precast superstructure of the bow string bridge will be brought in and erected. Once this is done, the Highways Department would have to complete the approach roads. The overbridge is expected to be fully completed by December.

With the bridge being a vital link between the Central Bus Stand, Railway Junction and Mannarpuram areas, especially for public transport, residents have been hoping that the construction would be completed at the earliest.

Heavy congestion

“Heavy traffic congestion is witnessed on the already opened section of the bridge, near the Central Bus Stand and Mannarpuram ends, especially during the peak hours. Many motorists, headed towards Crawford, take a risky U-turn immediately after the bridge ahead of the Mannarpuram trafffic signal. Besides, heavy congestion is witnessed at the TVS Tollgate Junction too due to the traffic diversions in force,” said H. Ghouse Baig, a civic activist, pressing for speedy completion of the second stage of the project.

“The construction seems to be under way at a better pace than the construction of the bridge coming up near Fort Station, nevertheless it should not be allowed to drag on,” said C. Balasubramanian, former member of the District Road Safety Council.

The second stage of the project would not require any land acquisition but for the alienation of about 235 square metres of land from the Department of Posts and the process is yet to be completed.