Commuters demand road overbridge at Kilvelur

Commuters on Kilvelur-Katchanam route face delays due to lack of Road OverBridge at railway crossing.

Commuters on Kilvelur-Katchanam route, which connects Nagapattinam and Thiruthuraipoondi, are facing difficulties owing to the absence of a Road OverBridge (ROB) at the Kilvelur railway crossing near Kilvelur railway station.

The frequent closures of the railway gate, which occur almost every hour due to goods trains carrying coal and other products from Karaikal port and Nagapattinam railway station, force commuters to wait for a while each time.

E. Selvam, a regular commuter from Pattamangalam, said, “I drop my daughters off at a nearby school after crossing the railway gate. They often arrive late and have to stand outside. Many students, especially those in Classes 10 and 12, are affected as train timings are unpredictable.”

Despite numerous protests, the government has not drawn any plans to build an ROB in the area. N. Rajendran, a local activist, pointed out that Kilvelur is a taluk head for residents, including  Palakurichi, Velankanni, Vettaikaraniruppu, Panangadu, and they face difficulties accessing the taluk office and MLA office due to the lack of a ROB.

Kilvelur MLA V.P. Nagai Mali, who has raised the issue in the Assembly, expressed confidence that the State government will establish an ROB soon.

“With an increased train traffic, people have been suffering for a while. I have been in talks with officials to resolve this issue.”

Sources from the Tiruchi Railway Division confirmed receiving requests and will examine the traffic volume to decide whether to go for an ROB or a limited use subway.