New Bridge over railway line will be ready for public use by April

New Rail Over Bridge in Polur town near Tiruvannamalai to replace railway level crossing, connecting key towns by April.

The under-construction Rail Over Bridge (ROB) that will replace the existing manned railway level Crossing in Polur town near Tiruvannamalai will be ready for public use in April, bringing an end to a decade-long struggle of residents for the new facility.

Officials of State Highways, who execute the project, said that the ₹24.66 crore new bridge will connect the town and tribal hamlets in Jawadhu Hills to nearby key towns such as Chengam, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Vandavasi, Arcot and Arani through Chittoor - Cuddalore Highway.

“The new bridge will be a lifeline for us as it will connect both sides of Polur town. Tribals from Jawadhu Hills can also easily reach the highway without negotiating traffic in the town,” said C.E. Senthil, a resident.

After obtaining the nod in April 2013, the new bridge is jointly completed by the Southern Railway and State Highways on a 50:50 fund basis. The two-lane bridge will be 700-metre-long and 12-metre-wide with at least 50 LED streetlights on the bridge and its service lanes. Tiled footpaths with steel hand railings and staircases from the bridge to reach the railway station are being built.

Highways officials said that two pillars on the track and Concrete decks on them have been placed by Southern Railway. State Highways has built pillars on the approach roads of the railway level crossing.

“The carriageway work above the railway track, which is the remaining work, is being done by the railway. The bridge will be ready for use by April,” said a State Highways official.

Adequate lands to lay service lanes have also been acquired. Delay in land acquisition by the revenue department of the district administration has escalated the total project cost from ₹17.37 crore (2019) to ₹24.66 crore (2023).