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SH dept notifies land acquisition for RoB near Trichy town station

 


The state highways department has initiated the land acquisition process for constructing a railway overbridge (RoB) across the railway tracks passing through East Boulevard road near Trichy town railway station. Proposed six years ago, the RoB would eliminate the waiting time at the manned level crossing that links the core city with Trichy-Chennai National Highway (NH). However, it was periodically hindered by legal challenges as a section of locals opposed the proposed land acquisition.

Armed with judicial and administrative nod, the state highways department recently published a notification in a local daily indicating the commencement of land acquisition work under section 15, Tamil Nadu Highways Act, 2001. The level crossing on East Boulevard road is across the railway tracks between Srirangam and Trichy town stations. It has Gandhi market, Big Bazaar street and Sankaran Pillai on one side and Odathurai road, which links Srirangam island and Trichy-Chennai NH, on the other. Due to the crossing and narrow approach roads, a majority of vehicles entering the city skip the level crossing. Instead, they approach Trichy city through the much-congested Palpannai junction and Melachinthamani Anna statue.

It was to eliminate the bottleneck and bypass the level crossing that state highways proposed an RoB during 2013-2014 financial year. However, since the proposal envisaged land acquisition including of residential buildings, the attempts faced persistent hurdles. “The publication of land acquisition notification is a significant development. We will estimate the building and land value for the properties to be acquired to settle the compensation,” an official with state highways department said.

The 600-metre-long RoB with service roads on either side will connect Town railway station end with Oyamari end. “Besides avoiding waiting time, the RoB will increase vehicular movement on EB road. Subsequently, the road will attract investments and even public transportation will resume,” P Sugumaran of EB road people’s welfare association said. Although the department plans to complete the land acquisition in six months, the conduct of the ensuing assembly election may delay the progress.

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