Rail overbridge work at Arumparthapuram back on track.

Source – thehindu.com

In a major relief to commuters heading towards Villupuram, the long-pending work on a rail overbridge at Arumparthapuram, which had been suspended since 2017, resumed on Sunday. The Madras High Court vacated an interim stay recently, paving the way for the resumption of the project.

The foundation stone for the ₹28.98-crore bridge at Villianur was laid in 2016 while the ₹5.13-crore limited-use subway and a two-lane flyover project got under way under the government-railway joint initiative in 2013.

Several hitches

The project faced several hitches right from the start and overshot its scheduled completion date in 2017 due a range of problems, including delays caused by land acquisition.

Though the Southern Railway completed its part of the project over the level-crossing, construction of the link road and portions of the bridge by the government came to a grinding halt because of litigations.

Half-built pillars and pits dug up at the site made commuting on the stretch a harrowing task. Vehicles were diverted through Perambai and Moolakulam and traversing the road became a nightmare due to the trouble of waiting in long queues whenever the railway gates were closed at Arumparthapuram and Sulthanpet.

Nine people moved the High Court over the modus operandi to be adopted in the payment of compensation.

While the landowners wanted compensation to be paid before the land was taken over, the Revenue Department took a stand that landowners must hand over the land and later get the compensation. According to a senior Revenue Department official, “Though the government had taken steps to acquire land for the project, a few landowners moved the Madras High Court. Consequent to the directions of the High Court, land acquisition proceedings were initiated as per the provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act.”

‘Yet to get amount’

A draft rehabilitation and resettlement scheme was prepared and sent to the affected landowners.

The government agreed to provide the required compensation and the interim stay was vacated by the Madras High Court paving the way for resumption of work, he said. A landowner, on condition of anonymity, claimed that they were yet to receive the compensation.

Though the PWD has transferred the funds to the Revenue Department, the latter is yet to declare the compensation or pass the award. However, work on establishment of the concrete pillars and link road has commenced, he said.

“The opening of the bridge would come as a huge relief for motorists in the city as it would provide quick and easy accessibility to the Villupuram Road from the coastal town. It is expected to ease congestion on the Perambai Road. The ROB will eliminate the level-crossing gate at Arumparthapuram. The work is expected to be completed in the next five months,” an official said.