RailEnquiry

The Railway Overbridge at Nettoor will soon be a reality, said Union Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies K V Thomas. He was speaking during the discussions on the various development projects being undertaken with the cooperation of the Railways held in the city on Monday. Once, the detailed sketch of the proposed RoB prepared by the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala, Ltd (RBDCK) is approved by Chennai, the construction of the RoB will begin, the Minister said.

 K V Thomas has already promised ` 3 crore from his MP fund. He said that one or two Public Sector Undertakings will be involved in the funding. “The total estimate of the bridge is `7 crore. We have already given notifications for the project. Since the RoB is an immediate need of the public, a major thrust will be given for the project,” the Minister said. The need for an RoB gained momentum when the Railway gate at the western side of the Nettoor railway station was shut down.  A lot of public protest was staged over the past seven years. The Railways have currently recommended the need to extend the bridge so that it can accommodate heavier vehicles. “Currently, the plan is to accommodate only light vehicles. If there is a need for extension of the bridge, the sketch can be modified as there is enough land for expansion of the bridge,” said DRM Rajesh Agarwal. However, he admitted the cost for the construction of the bridge would escalate  with the expansion. Union Minister K V Thomas has asked the Railways to prepare a detailed report on the amount necessary for the construction of the bridge.

 Steel Yard Revival: Meanwhile, plans are afoot to revive the Steel Yard of the Steel Authority of India (SAIL) near the Tripunithura railway station so that it can be developed for construction of steel. “Steel has become an essential factor for development in the state. The yard is currently dead and there is need to revive it. Talks will be held with the authorities of SAIL in this regard,” K V Thomas said.