Inordinate delay in completing Pavoorchathram rail overbridge triggers argument at road safety meeting

Inordinate delay in completing Pavoorchathram rail overbridge causing accidents, triggering arguments at road safety meeting in Tenkasi.

The inordinate delay in completing the Pavoorchathram rail overbridge on the busy Tirunelveli – Tenkasi 4-lane highway, which is giving nightmarish experience to road users crossing this point and causing frequent accidents, triggered argument at the road safety meeting held at Tenkasi on Wednesday.

 While more than 80% of the State government’s portion of the bridge on both sides of the Pavoorchathram manned level crossing is complete, the portion to be constructed over the railway track is yet to commence as the Southern Railway is yet to approve the design of the bridge submitted by the State Highways Department.

 After giving its nod on May 29, 2015, the State Government decided to execute the 45.60 km-long 4-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 2-lane into 4-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 this project between Alangulam and Azad Nagar for laying the 4-lane road for 22.90 km was started on February 24, 2021 with the target of completing this stretch on August 31, 2022.

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

 Even though 40 months have lapsed and the widening work is almost complete, the project is yet to see the light of the day. The only reason is the incomplete rail overbridge at Paavoorchathram. Traders having their shops on both sides of the bridge under construction have almost lost their businesses due to the dust and cement billowing from the construction site throughout the day.

  “The State Government had earlier replied to a right to information query that the road would be opened for traffic by August 2023 but there is no sign of fulfilling this promise even after July 2024. When the reply was given in March last year, 71.91% of the 4-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 during this period. After repeated representations from the public and the traders, more than 95% of the road widening work has been completed. However, our ordeals continue due to the inexplicable delay in the construction of the Pavoorchathram rail overbridge,” says R. Pandiaraja of Meenakshipuram, who raised this issue at the road safety committee meeting held in Tenkasi on Wednesday.