Times of India 01.08.2009
Foundation stone for Perambur loco works bridge laid
CHENNAI: A new road overbridge (ROB) is to come up in Perambur, adjacent to the one near the Perambur Loco Works that has been a crucial link to the residents of Kolathur, Jawahar Nagar, Perambur and Ayanavaram for almost 100 years. Union minister Dayanidhi Maran on Friday laid the foundation stone for the construction of the new bridge, which is estimated to cost Rs 8.41 crore and for which the minister and his father Murasoli Maran had contributed funds under the Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme.
"This had been a long-pending demand of the locals and has now materialised. I am elated that the dream project of my father, for which he contributed Rs 4.5 crore from his MPLAD Scheme, has been revived," said Dayanidhi Maran.
There were many reasons for the delay in the execution of the project, Maran said. The rise in the prices of construction material saw the cost shooting up to Rs 6 crore a few years ago. Despite tenders being floated, the project did not take shape and the Chennai Corporation only managed to repair the pot-holed stretches leading to the dilapidated old structure. At one point of time, the estimated cost of the project had gone up to as much as Rs 9.25 crore, the minister said.
Speaking on the occasion, Mayor M Subramanian expressed satisfaction over the ongoing civic projects in various parts of the city. Work on road under bridges (RUBs) at M C Choultry Street off Old Jail Road, Jones Road in Saidapet and Villivakkam and ROBs at Rangarajapuram in Kodambakkam and Korukkupet was at various stages of completion. "We want the railway to part with land near the Rangarajapuram flyover site," Subramanian said.
Southern Railway chief administrative officer R Ramanathan said the new ROB in Preambur would be 106 m long and 4.5 m wide. There will be 1.8-m wide footpaths on both sides. Seven spans, between 8 m and 18 m wide, will separate nine rail tracks. About 300 tonnes of steel and 1,250 tonnes of cement are estimated to be needed for the project that is expected to be completed in March 2010.
Southern Railway general manager M Jayanth, however, hoped the the project would be opened on Pongal next year. The railway has at least 12 ongoing subway/flyover projects in the Chennai-Arakkonam and Chennai-Tambaram sectors and another 23 which are yet to begin.
"This had been a long-pending demand of the locals and has now materialised. I am elated that the dream project of my father, for which he contributed Rs 4.5 crore from his MPLAD Scheme, has been revived," said Dayanidhi Maran.
There were many reasons for the delay in the execution of the project, Maran said. The rise in the prices of construction material saw the cost shooting up to Rs 6 crore a few years ago. Despite tenders being floated, the project did not take shape and the Chennai Corporation only managed to repair the pot-holed stretches leading to the dilapidated old structure. At one point of time, the estimated cost of the project had gone up to as much as Rs 9.25 crore, the minister said.
Speaking on the occasion, Mayor M Subramanian expressed satisfaction over the ongoing civic projects in various parts of the city. Work on road under bridges (RUBs) at M C Choultry Street off Old Jail Road, Jones Road in Saidapet and Villivakkam and ROBs at Rangarajapuram in Kodambakkam and Korukkupet was at various stages of completion. "We want the railway to part with land near the Rangarajapuram flyover site," Subramanian said.
Southern Railway chief administrative officer R Ramanathan said the new ROB in Preambur would be 106 m long and 4.5 m wide. There will be 1.8-m wide footpaths on both sides. Seven spans, between 8 m and 18 m wide, will separate nine rail tracks. About 300 tonnes of steel and 1,250 tonnes of cement are estimated to be needed for the project that is expected to be completed in March 2010.
Southern Railway general manager M Jayanth, however, hoped the the project would be opened on Pongal next year. The railway has at least 12 ongoing subway/flyover projects in the Chennai-Arakkonam and Chennai-Tambaram sectors and another 23 which are yet to begin.
