Amrapali underpass on track

Rajkot: Though the initial part of lockdown kept work in abeyance, but Rajkot railway division utilized the remaining period of the lockdown to expedite work of Amrapali underpass in the city.
Looking at the importance of this underpass, work resumed in the second week, from May 11, which will now continue even during the monsoon season, said railway authorities.
The blocks have already been erected before the arrival of monsoon and so work will not be hampered, they added. The underpass, being constructed at a cost of Rs 22 crore is expected to be completed in next two years.
Amrapali railway crossing in the heart of the city connecting western part of Rajkot to the central part has remained closed for traffic since November last year. The huge chunk of traffic connecting Raiya road has been diverted to other roads.
According Rajkot railway division it was difficult to get permission to resume work because of lockdown. “We had to do a lot of paperwork to convince Rajkot district authority to allow us to complete the project within time and before monsoon arrives,” a senior officer said.
After the district authority’s nod, railway authorities also obtained permission from Jamnagar district authority to bring labour and machinery.
Senior commercial manager of Rajkot division, Ravindra Srivastav said “We need to dig pits to erect the blocks for the underpass which will have to be completed before monsoon. We also got the benefit of suspension of passenger trains due to lockdown to expedite our work.”
The division took two engineering blocks for rail traffic and engaged four pokland machines, two crains, earth movers trailer and other machineries for the mammoth project.