Expedite work on rail overbridge, demand residents

COIMBATORE: About 100 people, including the residents of Avarampalayam and Ganapathy, gathered at the district revenue office (south) on the State Bank Road on Tuesday, demanding the state government to expedite the construction of the rail overbridge at Avarampalayam.
The protesters, under the banner of Avarampalayam Ganapathy Railway Overbridge Protest Committee, gathered at the office around 10.30am and protested till noon. They said that after they went on a hunger strike on October 30, the district administration and the railway officials had promised to start the construction by December. The railway had to construct the portion of the bridge under its land and the Coimbatore corporation was to construct the roads leading to the bridge as well as the service roads.

The protesters said that the railway stuck to its promise and began the construction in December. “Work is going on at a brisk pace and the structure has been erected. They are confident of completing their portion by September,” said P Devarajan, a senior member of the community. “However, the state government has not made any move to start their portion of the work,” he told TOI.

The government has not even taken steps to acquire the land required for the project, the protesters said. “The price on the land has been fixed at Rs 3,500 per squarefeet and all the landowners are willing to give their land. The documents are ready and owners have given letters expressing their willingness to the DRO,” said Devarajan. “However, the government has not taken it forward.”

The residents said that the government is yet to realise the importance of the bridge and the problems they face during the peak hours when the railway gate is lowered.