Puri: The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has initiated process to acquire land for construction of a rail overbridge (ROB) at Siddha Mahaveer Level Crossing on Puri-Konark National Highway here.
Officials of the NHAI, SM Consultancy and Competent Authority of Land Acquisition have initiated land measurement for the ROB project.
NHAI Konark division assistant engineer Pradipta Kumar Satpathy said the NHAI would acquire at least 2.66 acre land for the ROB project.
“The length of the ROB would be around 900 metres. We would acquire 80-ft wide land on both sides of the road for construction of the ROB. The width of the bridge would be 40 ft. The remaining 40 ft land would be left for service roads, utility poles and water supply pipes,” Satpathy said.
It is worth mentioning here that the residents of Puri city have been demanding construction of a ROB at Siddha Mahaveer Level Crossing for last two decades.
According to the locals, the railway authorities usually shut the level crossing gates once in every fifteen minutes to facilitate rail traffic. As a result, commuters and locals are being forced to wait for a long time at the level crossing.
“Many tourists depend upon the NH to visit the Konark Sun Temple. Tourists are facing trouble in the absence of an overbridge at the level crossing. Even ambulances and vehicles carrying patients are being forced to wait for more than 15 minutes. Students also face difficulties in reaching classes on time,” said a local.
The locals had raised the ROB issue with several ministers, people’s representatives and government officials in the past. Most of the political parties usually express their commitment to construct the ROB during election campaign but they forget the issue once the poll process is over, said a social activist.
Last year, Jyotiranjan Nayak, the convener of Janajagaran Manch had traveled to New Delhi on foot and submitted a memorandum containing the signatures of one lakh people to Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. The Centre has recently given its green signal for construction of the ROB, sources said.