Tangedco utilities detering Radha Nagar subway work to be removed

“Tangedco utilities, high-tension overhead lines, transformers and four pole structures located at the site of construction of the limited use subway in lieu of existing level-crossing 27 near Chromepet Radha Nagar are hindrances to the work. Hence it is necessary to relocate the Tangedco utilities and transformer to the extreme end of the Right of way (ROW) of the road,” said a senior official of the highways department.

As the existing electricity line is vested with Tangedco, necessary sanction estimated to shift electricity poles and transformers lying in the Radha Nagar side and GST Road NH45 of Tangedco Radha Nagar section of Tambaram division limit was obtained from the chief engineer, distribution, Chennai South, he noted.

In January this year, the State Highways Department has called for bids for the project months after the Madras High Court rejected the residents challenging the land acquisition for the project. “Once all the hindrances are cleared, the construction work would be taken up in a full-fledged way,” the official said.

The Highways department had initially proposed to construct a pedestrian subway in 1998-99. In 2009, work on the level-crossing was taken up by Southern Railway after which the State Highways department was supposed to take up construction of approach roads. However, since then, the project has run into several roadblocks, including land acquisition, leaving the project with no developments so far. Later the Pallavaram municipality decided to construct a limited use subway in 2012, following the residents’ demand for a subway for both pedestrians and light vehicles like cars and autos. The revised administrative sanction was given to the project for Rs 28.99 crore in November last year.

The municipality proposed a limited use subway with 5.5-metre wide carriageway and 2-metre wide footpath instead of the original proposal of pedestrian subway considering the rapid growth of Pallavaram area and heavy volume of traffic.