The residents want the road overbridge to be completed at the earliest, which will replace the manned level crossing on the Cuddalore-Chittoor high road at Polur near Tiruvannamalai.
The long delay in completion of the project has forced them to travel at least 5 km to reach major public facilities like bus terminus, local market, schools and government hospitals. The carriageway of the alternate route opened to motorists is narrow, leading to congestion.
School vehicles are hesitant to ply on the damaged main road. Ambulances run the risk of moving the sick from the neighborhood to the nearest hospital,” said a resident S. Kamchi says.
The ₹24.66 crore project, which is being implemented by Southern Railway and Tamil Nadu Highways Department, at 50% of the cost each, was announced in April 2013. After procedural delays, a works agreement was signed by the executing agencies in September 2018. The work started in January 2019. The project was to be completed in 18 months.
“Land acquisition is the major problem. Till now, around 80% work has been completed,” said J Babu, assistant divisional engineer, state highways (Thiruvannamalai) Hindu,
Presently 3,450 square meters of land including 1,000 square meters of government land is required to complete the project by laying service lanes and constructing storm-water drains.