ROB or RUB, officials in dilemma as commuters struggle

TIRUPATTUR: The recent visit of Chennai Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Ganesh to Vaniyambadi where he stated that only an overbridge (ROB) was possible at the New Town level crossing (LC 81) has reportedly placed the State government in a bind due to land acquisition issues.

The need for a facility for a free commute that has been pending for years due to the frequent closing of the level crossing (LC) during evening results in traffic bottleneck that takes nearly 30 minutes to ease, sources said.

The LC is hardly 500 metres from Vaniyambadi bus stand and municipal office to New Town. Closure forces road users, who are in a hurry, to take a 2-km detour to reach the above mentioned two points.

Some years ago, a road underbridge (RUB) was proposed, but due to a court stay it came to a standstill, sources recalled.

“Railway officials expressed total willingness to construct a ROB (road overbridge) if the State government provided the required land,” sources said.

However, the RUB was ruled out when it was pointed out during the AIADMK regime that a nearby lake which was dry for nearly two decades could lead to problems if it fills up again as the surplus water would flow and stagnate in the RUB during rain.

“Now the lake has water for the last few years and hence it was out of the question to build a RUB,” Vaniyambadi AIADMK MLA G Senthil Kumar said. Municipality sources said that the approach road could be laid as the land in which some buildings were located belonged to the local body.

However, what prevented its plan was that some land portions nearby were owned by four persons, all reportedly belonging to the ruling dispensation. “Chief Minister MK Stalin and Minister of Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin had both promised the ROB when they campaigned during the Assembly elections. In fact, Minister for Water Resources Duraimurugan had assured to bring the bridge,” Senthil Kumar said.

“I raised their promises in the last Assembly session, but failed to get a reply from the minister,” he added.

Another pointer is that the project which cost Rs 4 crore during the AIADMK regime has now shot up to Rs 18 crore. However, the railways is willing to release funds.

“However, Minister of Finance Palanivel Thiaga Rajan shot down a proposal for the same facility when it was mooted at Rs 38 crore,” Senthil Kumar said.