Railway level crossing to be closed from today

Railway level crossing to be closed from today

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Oct 14, 2014:  The railway level crossing on Padil-Bajal Road would be permanently closed for all types of traffic from Tuesday to facilitate construction of a road underbridge.

 

Light motor vehicles would have to take the Karmar-Veera Nagar-Perala-Kannur stretch to reach their destinations further till the work is completed, said a release from Southern Railway.

Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda had laid the foundation stone for the underbridge on August 16 and had set a deadline of February 2015 for completing the work and throwing the road open for traffic again.

A senior official from Southern Railway told The Hindu that work on approach roads is in full swing. Now, the the actual work on underbridge will begin. The Railways would be deploying box pushing technology to construct the underbridge so as not to affect the train traffic above. The officer was hopeful of completing the work within the deadline set by the Minister.

The underbridge has been a demand for over three decades from the residents of Bajal and surrounding areas, and it was approved just before the Lok Sabha polls.

The commencement of work was, however, held up due to the election code of conduct. Residents of the area had held several protest meetings and demonstrations highlighting their plight as Bajal and surrounding areas were witnessing fast-paced development.

The road underbridge is being constructed at a cost of Rs. 5.61 crore with half of the cost being shared by the Mangalore City Corporation.

 

Courtesy: The hindu