Citizen Voice Coimbatore demands a high level enquiry regarding the construction of the railway over-bridge at Podanur.
Coimbatore: Citizens Voice Coimbatore brought to light the omissions and commissions related to the conceptualization, design, and construction of the railway over-bridge at Podanur, besides few other bridges built in and around Coimbatore.
The bridge in question was recently constructed and was opened for public use. The bridge was constructed apparently for free flow of traffic from the Podanur town side to the road leading to Chettipalayam area, replacing a level-cross over the railway line between Coimbatore and Pollachi and a bridge over the railway track leading to Palghat (Kerala). The railway lines from the Coimbatore Junction railway station and the railway line from Chennai converges at the Podanur Junction railway station before proceeding towards Palghat and Pollachi.
The newly converted Coimbatore Pollachi broad gauge railway line runs parallel to the Coimbatore – Palghat double line for approximately 1 km on the right-hand side when proceeding towards Pollachi before crossing over the Coimbatore-Palghat double line, which is an existing old railway line aligned at a lower level with respect to the Coimbatore – Pollachi track.
The road from Coimbatore to Chettipalayam was previously provided with a bridge over the Coimbatore Palghat line and a level cross over the Coimbatore -Pollachi track. The new railway over-bridge was constructed parallel to the existing bridge / level-cross, covering both the tracks at a cost of few hundredscrores of rupees.
In the press release, the Citizens Voice Coimbatore said, "The huge expenditure could have been minimized by either allowing the Coimbatore- Pollachi trains on the same track towards Palghat till it crosses the existing railway bridge and then branching it off towards Pollachi or by laying a parallel track along the Coimbatore – Palghat alignment by increasing the width of the trench which accommodates the Coimbatore – Palghat railway line. This would have entailed the construction of a new wider bridge replacing the existing old bridge and avoiding the need for a level-cross, at a fraction of the cost incurred for the new railway over-bridge and ensuring smooth flow of traffic on the Coimbatore – Chettipalayam road.
Further, the construction of the new railway over-bridge has resulted in creating a dangerous junction at the Podanur end of the overbridge, necessitating a ‘U’ turn under the railway overbridge for traffic proceeding to the Sarada Mill Road towards Eachanari from the Podanur Jn railway station. Negotiating the junction has become a nightmare due to heavy build-up of traffic on this section of the road during peak hours."
The press release added, "We, the citizens of Coimbatore have reasons to suspect extraneous considerations for constructing the railway over-bridge as it exists today, at huge expense instead of the way we have suggested above, at a fraction of the cost. In this context we would also bring to your attention the delay in commencing the train services between Coimbatore and Pollachi, which is remaining suspended for more than 12 years and even after the conversion of the metre gauge to broad gauge track.
It is needless to state that the huge cost incurred for constructing the new railway over bridge and delay in commencement of rail service between Coimbatore and Pollachi is sheer waste of the tax payers money. We request you to order an immediate enquiry into the whole process which resulted in the construction of the bridge and delay in commencement of train service, fix responsibility, and proceed against the delinquent."
The bridge in question was recently constructed and was opened for public use. The bridge was constructed apparently for free flow of traffic from the Podanur town side to the road leading to Chettipalayam area, replacing a level-cross over the railway line between Coimbatore and Pollachi and a bridge over the railway track leading to Palghat (Kerala). The railway lines from the Coimbatore Junction railway station and the railway line from Chennai converges at the Podanur Junction railway station before proceeding towards Palghat and Pollachi.
The newly converted Coimbatore Pollachi broad gauge railway line runs parallel to the Coimbatore – Palghat double line for approximately 1 km on the right-hand side when proceeding towards Pollachi before crossing over the Coimbatore-Palghat double line, which is an existing old railway line aligned at a lower level with respect to the Coimbatore – Pollachi track.
The road from Coimbatore to Chettipalayam was previously provided with a bridge over the Coimbatore Palghat line and a level cross over the Coimbatore -Pollachi track. The new railway over-bridge was constructed parallel to the existing bridge / level-cross, covering both the tracks at a cost of few hundredscrores of rupees.
In the press release, the Citizens Voice Coimbatore said, "The huge expenditure could have been minimized by either allowing the Coimbatore- Pollachi trains on the same track towards Palghat till it crosses the existing railway bridge and then branching it off towards Pollachi or by laying a parallel track along the Coimbatore – Palghat alignment by increasing the width of the trench which accommodates the Coimbatore – Palghat railway line. This would have entailed the construction of a new wider bridge replacing the existing old bridge and avoiding the need for a level-cross, at a fraction of the cost incurred for the new railway over-bridge and ensuring smooth flow of traffic on the Coimbatore – Chettipalayam road.
Further, the construction of the new railway over-bridge has resulted in creating a dangerous junction at the Podanur end of the overbridge, necessitating a ‘U’ turn under the railway overbridge for traffic proceeding to the Sarada Mill Road towards Eachanari from the Podanur Jn railway station. Negotiating the junction has become a nightmare due to heavy build-up of traffic on this section of the road during peak hours."
The press release added, "We, the citizens of Coimbatore have reasons to suspect extraneous considerations for constructing the railway over-bridge as it exists today, at huge expense instead of the way we have suggested above, at a fraction of the cost. In this context we would also bring to your attention the delay in commencing the train services between Coimbatore and Pollachi, which is remaining suspended for more than 12 years and even after the conversion of the metre gauge to broad gauge track.
It is needless to state that the huge cost incurred for constructing the new railway over bridge and delay in commencement of rail service between Coimbatore and Pollachi is sheer waste of the tax payers money. We request you to order an immediate enquiry into the whole process which resulted in the construction of the bridge and delay in commencement of train service, fix responsibility, and proceed against the delinquent."