Residents want road overbridge work at Polur to be expedited

The delay has forced them take a detour of at least 5 km to reach key facilities

Residents want the early completion of the road overbridge that would replace the manned level crossing on the Cuddalore-Chittoor High Road at Polur near Tiruvannamalai.

The long delay in the completion of the project has forced them take a detour of at least 5 km to reach key public facilities like the bus terminus, the local market, schools and government hospitals. The carriageway of the alternative route opened for motorists is narrow, leading to congestion.

“School vehicles hesitate to ply on the damaged main road. Ambulances risk shifting the sick from the neighbourhood to the nearest hospital,” says S. Kamatchi, a resident.

The ₹24.66-crore project, being executed by Southern Railway and the Tamil Nadu Highways Department with each bearing 50% of the cost, was announced in April 2013. After procedural delays, a work agreement was signed by the executing agencies in September 2018 before the work started in January 2019. The project was to have been completed in 18 months.

“Land acquisition is the key problem. As of now, around 80% of the work has been completed,” J. Babu, Assistant Divisional Engineer, State Highways (Tiruvannamalai), told The Hindu.

At present, 3,450 square metres of land, including 1,000 square metres of government land, is needed to complete the project by laying service lanes and building storm-water drains.