Incomplete Pavoorchathiram rail overbridge becomes a poll issue

Incomplete rail overbridge at Pavoorchathiram on Tirunelveli-Tenkasi highway sparks political debate, causing delays and frustration for road users.

The incomplete rail overbridge (ROB) at Pavoorchathiram on the busy Tirunelveli – Tenkasi four-lane highway, which is giving nightmarish experience to road users has become a poll issue among voters and political parties in the electoral battle.

 While the State government’s portion of the bridge on the both sides of Pavoorchathiram manned level crossing is almost complete, the portion to be constructed over the railway track to mark the completion is on an indefinite wait for reasons best known to the officials.

 After giving its nod on May 29, 2015, the State Government had decided to execute the 45.60 km-long four-laning of the Tirunelveli – Tenkasi Highway between Old Pettai on Tirunelveli outskirts and Azad Nagar on Tenkasi outskirts on an outlay of ₹430.71 crore with its own funds and the World Bank funding.

 Work on widening and strengthening of the existing two-lane into four-lane between Old Pettai and Alangulam for 22.70 km was started on February 26, 2021 with the target of completing it on September 2, 2022. The second phase of the project between Alangulam and Azad Nagar for laying the four-lane road for 22.90 km was started on February 24, 2021 with a target of completing this stretch on August 31, 2022.

The construction of small culverts and a major rail over bridge at Pavoorchathiram manned level crossing has consumed more time due to poor planning by the highways department officials and the contractor handpicked for executing this project.

 Even though 37 months have lapsed and the widening work is almost complete barring the stretch passing through Alangulam town, the project is yet to see the light of the day much to the agony of the road users. The only hitch is the incomplete rail over bridge at Pavoorchathiram. Traders having their shops on both sides of the bridge under construction have almost lost their business due to the dust and the cement billowing from the construction site throughout the day.

 “The State Government which had replied earlier under the right to information query that the road would be formally thrown open for traffic by August 2023. But there is no sign of fulfilling this promise even after May 2024. When the reply was given in March last year, 71.91% of the four-laning work between Old Pettai and Alangulam had been completed while the contractor had achieved only 54.45% of the remaining work between Alangulam and Azad Nagar. After repeated representations from the public and the traders, more than 95% of the road widening work has been completed. However, our ordeal continues due to the inexplicable delay in the construction of the Paavoorchathram rail overbridge,” said N. Senthil Murugan, a trader from Pavoorchathiram.