The Hindu : 'Ease traffic congestion at Villivakkam level-crossing'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 22, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

'Ease traffic congestion at Villivakkam level-crossing'

By Akila Dinakar

CHENNAI April 21. The plan for a subway or a flyover across one of the level-crossings in Villivakkam received a fillip with two MPs and the local MLA promising financial help from the Constituency Development Funds.

The level-crossing, situated at the western end of Villivakkam-Red Hills Road, often witnesses serpentine queues of vehicles, particularly during peak hours. Though a proposal was mooted many years ago to have a facility to ease congestion at this point, it still remains on paper.

Participating in a meeting organised by 14 associations including the Welfare Association of Rajaji Nagar Civic Exnora, the North Chennai MP, C. Kuppusamy, and Rajya Sabha member, Sarath Kumar, announced Rs. 1 crore each for the project. The Villivakkam MLA, D. Napoleon, also assured that he would try to secure a substantial amount from the MLA's constituency development fund.

Talking to The Hindu, Mr. Kuppusamy said the previous DMK Government had marked the construction of a bridge across the level-crossing as a priority. The present Government should come forward to sponsor the construction of a bridge or subway in the area.

The MP said that he raised the issue of the need for a subway or road over bridge (ROB) at this point in Parliament besides the need for a bridge near the Stanley Hospital. A team of DMK MPs would meet the Railway Minister soon in this regard, he said.

Taking part in the meeting, R. Venkatasamy, Chief Engineer, Planning, Southern Railway, said once the State Government included the subject in its priority list, the other modalities regarding the construction of a road over or under bridge could be decided, he said.

A.V. Surendiran, president of the Rajaji Nagar Civic Exnora, said for the second level-crossing on the Red Hills Road leading to Kolathur, Rs. 8.1 crores was already sanctioned by the Chennai Corporation during the DMK Government. Though a Train Vehicular Unit (TVU) of more than one lakh vehicles was enough for construction of a bridge, the level-crossing had a TVU of over 12,14,964 as per Southern Railway records of April 2001 and on the eastern end it was 3,32,100.

T. Ramanathan, Assistant Convenor of the Joint Action Committee for Overbridges, said there were over 1.25 lakh persons living in the 200 colonies on either side of the level-crossing and the Railways had already conducted the soil test. Another resident said the road connected the 200-feet Outer Ring Road with Tambaram and Ennore, and hence a subway or ROB could go a long way in easing traffic en route.

With about 200 EMUs and more than 60 trains, including Shatabdi Superfast Express, and so many other trains crossing up and down Villivakkam at an average of one every five minutes, more than 50,000 people used the level-crossing on foot or by bicycle, two-wheelers, autorickshaws, taxis, cars and other modes of transport.

People, who used the only bus route 20 M, could not reach their destination on time as the vehicle had to wait at the crossing for long.

Residents of north Villivakkam found it difficult to take patients or those injured in accidents to hospitals, most of which were situated in the southern side of Villivakkam.

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