The Hindu 24.01.2014
Administrative sanction for Erode overbridge gladdens residents

For residents of Erode city, the State Government’s
administrative sanction of Rs. 22.92 crore earlier this week for
construction of a road overbridge at the Government Headquarters
Hospital junction was on desired lines.
The sanction
accorded in consideration of the traffic congestion caused by huge
vehicular population due to increase in the number of power loom and
handloom units, besides the large presence of industries and commercial
establishments came at a juncture when the Highways Department has
firmed up plans for construction of a traffic island, a long-felt need,
at the junction.
Intervention
Thanks
to the intervention by the office of the Commissioner of Land
Administration, the district administration could compensate shopkeepers
who had to relinquish land for the traffic island construction.
Depending on the alignment, land requirement for the proposed overbridge would be determined, official sources said.
The
overbridge in a cross formation would resemble Gemini flyover in
Chennai. The bridge would run to a length of 200 metres each on the
directions of Perundurai and Brough Road and 100 metres each on the
sides of EVN and Mettur roads.
The administrative
sanction of Rs. 22.92 crore would be utilised for land acquisition,
replacement of power lines and telephone poles, and altering the
alignment of the underground drainage.
Once this
activity is completed over the next three months, a detailed estimate
would be drawn up for construction of the bridge that would be 12 metres
wide for easy passage of two buses at a time.
The bridge construction would be completed in two years from the time of start, official sources said.
The
overbridge at the junction that holds the key for regulation of traffic
flow in the Corporation limits would be the first for the city,
official sources added.