KOCHI: The delay on the part of Railways has been holding up work on at least two rail overbridge projects in Kochi.

The main project is the Pullepady ROB, which was scheduled to be completed many years back. The Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala (RBDCK) completed the approaches to the bridge a few months back. But the Railways have not even started work on the rail portion.

When contacted, Deputy Chief Engineer (Construction) of the Railways Radhakrishnan Nair refused to say anything more than "work has been awarded". He did not spell out whether any deadline has been fixed for the long-pending work to be over. It is not clear why the Railways are not coming clear on the project. Though the contractor who carried out work for the RBDCK had quoted the lowest rate to carry out work on the rail portion, the Railways had rejected his tender saying that he was not qualified for the work.

RBDCK sources said that it would take at least a year for the Railways to ready the bridge, if work starts in earnest at least now. "Any delay will result in untold misery to the commuters in Kochi, who are now being forced to travel through the congested ROBs in Ernakulam North and South. We have spent Rs.4.5 crores on the approach spans and another Rs.1.5 crores for land acquisition. The Railways' delay has resulted in our having to pay heavy interest on the loan." The Pullepady ROB will provide a third outlet from the city's arterial roads, especially the M.G. Road. Once over, it will decongest M.G. Road, Banerjee Road and Kaloor, apart from the Ernakulam North and South overbridges. It will also connect the Thammanam-Pullepady Road with the Kaloor-Kadavanthra Road. Buses, including KSRTC buses, can reach Kadavanthra by using the Pullepady ROB. Put short, the bridge will decongest the city's arterial roads, saving commuters time and fuel.

"We have so far built 13 bridges in the State. Many more are nearing completion. In all these instances, there was delay in commissioning them because of delay on the part of the Railways, which have to carry out work on the rail portion of ROB's. The result is that each of these bridges took over three years to be commissioned," said RBDCK sources. As far as widening the narrow bridges at Ernakulam North and South are concerned, the Railways have been citing the excuse that the State Government is yet to approach them with a proposal.

In addition to all these, water-logging problem in the city is being attributed to the clogged culverts of the Railways.

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