The Highways Department on Saturday started demolishing buildings which are situated on the land acquired for the road over bridge coming up on the Chennai Trunk Road at Thiruvanaikovil here.
The buildings were demolished using earth movers amidst police security. Sources in the department said about 20 structures were demolished.
The action comes in the wake of increasing public resentment over the slow progress in completing the road overbridge.
Although a major portion of the bridge structure has been constructed, the approach roads are yet to be built. In June, after an inspection of the progress of construction, Collector K. Rajamani had said that the ROB will be opened for traffic in the first week of August.
But issues in land acquisition was said to be delaying the construction of the approach roads.
Sources in the Highways Department said that work on laying the approach roads would begin after the utility lines were shifted.
Welcoming the move, S. N. Mohan Ram, president, Srirangam Makkal Nala Sangam, hoped that the Highways department would complete the work soon. “We appreciate the district administration for acting on the report in The Hindu highlighting the delay in completing the project. We appeal to him to expedite the works and ensure that the bridge is opened for traffic by the end of this month,” he said.