The existing ROB, which is presently a four-lane wide facility, is being made wider to handle additional traffic. After completion of the work, the facility, which is on GST Road at the location where the railway line crosses from one side to another, will become eight lanes wide.
The work is also being necessitated to make space for the additional track being laid by the railways. The road too in that stretch is being widened to eight lanes to accommodate more traffic.
The construction is being carried out jointly by the railways and the NHAI. The ₹22-crore work (NHAI’s contribution) to construct 900 m of approaches on either side is expected to be completed in two years. There is no land acquisition involved in the work, said an official in the NHAI.
“The work is being carried out in three phases. At present, the railways has completed one side of its construction. Once we finish formation of the approaches, the existing ROB will be knocked down and a new one will be constructed in its place after diverting traffic to the new facility,” explained another official.
Sources in the railways said it had been nearly a year since they completed their portion of work and were waiting for the NHAI to complete its work so that traffic could be diverted to the new facility. “We need space to go for further construction,” the source said.
Meanwhile, tenders are under process for the construction of a similar wider ROB just before Paranur toll plaza in Chengalpattu district. The level crossing used to be called 159. The 958-m approaches will cost around ₹16 crore and take a similar time to complete.