Tenders floated for construction of footoverbridge in Thirumangalam

This is the second call for tenders for a footoverbridge at the busy junction as there were no takers for the first; residents say it is very difficult to school students and others to cross the road during peak hours

The Tamil Nadu Highways Department has called for tenders for the construction of a footover bridge (FOB) near Kendriya Vidyalaya School on Jawaharlal Nehru Salai at Thirumangalam, in Chennai. The facility will have staircases on the Thirumangalam and Koyambedu sides, escalators on the opposite sides and elevators on both sides. The estimated cost of the FOB, which has been a long-pending demand of local residents and parents of school students, will be ₹12.30 crore.  

A contractor said that this was the second call for construction companies and there were no takers for the project since price of steel was quite high. “If the price mentioned in the Schedule of Rates is taken into consideration, we cannot make much of a profit, which is why nobody is interested in taking it up,” he said. 

K. Ramani, a resident of Thirumangalam, said that the FOB was a must in the location since vehicles from the nearby flyover come down and go up, and cannot slow down for the sake of pedestrians since the very purpose of the facility would be defeated. Not just school students and their parents, but those working in a large mall in the area and people residing in the CPWD quarters also need it. “Every day during rush hour, parents and students can be seen jumping over the median,” he added.  

The Madras High Court had directed the government to have an FOB be constructed at the spot considering the safety of students and parents. The police had installed a traffic signal at the point and a gate that could be opened and closed during peak hours. However, that was done only for a few days, he said.