RailEnquiry

NAGPUR: Residents of north-east Nagpur can expect elief from frequent traffic jams near the existing narrow railway overbridge (ROB) near Itwari railway station as work on Itwari ROB being built by Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has gathered pace.Sources in NMC's public works department told TOI that finally the South East Central Railway has given permission to take over its 24 metre land on lease required to construct the remaining patch of ROB over the Nagpur-Kolkata railway track.The construction of Y-shaped ROB connecting Itwari with Mahdibagh and Shanti Nagar was started in 2009 and was supposed to complete in February 2010. Some portion of the railway land is required to construct pillars on it. When the NMC applied for permission, SECR's head office in Bilaspur referred the matter to railway ministry in Delhi. This led to delay in approval for leasing of land and the project got delayed, said a source adding that the project deadline has been revised twice. Mayor Anil Sole's pursuing the matter got the railway ministry's nod and recently a team of NMC's senior officials visited SECR's Bilaspur office and got final approval. Against the land, NMC will pay Rs 3.56 crore to SECR.Sources said the civic body has already completed the approach ramp of the ROB from Mahdibagh and Itwari end. Only the portion from Shanti Nagar has not yet started. With SECR's nod, NMC has commenced the work to construct pillars. Sources said the NMC is planning to close the road for three months and if it happens the work will be completed within eight months.

Meanwhile, municipal commissioner Shyam Wardhane reviewed the ongoing work of Anand Talkies railway underbridge. It is supposed to open for traffic on November 30.