Five-year-long wait will soon be over as underpass work is nearing completion

Five-year-long wait will soon be over as underpass work is nearing completion

After five long years, there is a glimmer of hope for those living in areas adjacent to Old Karur Road. At a recent press meet, Public Works Department Minister E.V. Velu said the underpass, being built near Nehruji Nagar roundabout, will soon be thrown open to traffic.

For long, reaching Dindigul has been an ordeal not just for residents but also for visitiors. From the Palani railway line, residents of MNM Nagar, NS Nagar etc., the town is just 100 metres away. But, due to the underpass work, they have to take a detour involving an additional three to four km to reach the heart of the town.

Built at a cost of ₹16 crore, the project was designed to put an end to the traffic holdup when the railway gate on Palani line is closed. Since 10 schools and three colleges lie on this stretch, traffic has always been heavy. But, due to the work going at a snail’s pace, the problem aggravated as the underpass witnessed frequent waterlogging leading to stalling of work.

According to activist Rajesh Kannan, “It is a very utilitarian project, no doubt. But with traffic volume rising all the time, the underpass could have served better had it been wider.”

A senior Highways engineer said the process of land acquisition for the project was at its final stage. “Once that is completed, a sump will be built. The stagnating water will be pumped out and let into the sump. With groundwater level high in its vicinity, there is seepage. So grouting work will be done for insulation and waterproofing,” the official said.

The delay has also been attributed to the rocky nature of the subsoil due to which blasting could be done only in a measured manner.

But with the work in its final stage, the official said the underpass would be thrown open for traffic in a few months.