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.