Decade-long delay in Sevvapet ROB continues to burden commuters

CHENNAI: The long-pending Railway Over-Bridge (ROB) project near Sevvapet Railway station in Tiruvallur continues to inconvenience thousands of commuters, with the project remaining incomplete more than a decade after work began.

The ROB, which serves as a crucial link between Aranvoyal Road and Thiruvur Road, connects 5-6 villages and functions as a bypass route for residents. In the absence of the bridge, commuters are forced to take a diversion of nearly 6 km to reach their destinations.

While the Southern Railway completed its portion of the work in 2016, the work by the State Highways department remains unfinished. The project faced delays due to land acquisition issues and litigation filed by landowners. An interim court injunction further stalled progress, pushing the work schedule to 2021.

Residents lament the significant hardship, particularly during emergencies, the delay has caused. “As level crossings in the area are prohibited, motorists have no option but to use longer alternate routes. During emergencies, people are unable to access the overbridge because of the ongoing works. We have to take a diversion through Putlur to reach Aranvoyal Road,” said D Karthi, an autorickshaw driver from Sevvapet.

Residents also pointed to the dangers posed by attempts to avoid the lengthy diversion. According to them, some people have tried to cross railway tracks during emergencies, resulting in fatal accidents.

The prolonged construction has also affected businesses in the locality. “The bridge work has severely impacted our business. We have shifted shops several times, but there has been no improvement in sales,” said Poovarasan, a bakery owner.

Commuters rely on the Sevvapet subway as an alternative route to reach Thiruvur. However, residents complained that the road conditions in and around the subway were poor. They also alleged that the number of workers deployed at the construction site was inadequate and urged authorities to increase manpower to expedite the project.

Meanwhile, a new subway is being constructed near Sevvapet railway station alongside the existing one to ease traffic congestion in the area. “We have staged several protests seeking infrastructure improvements for the locality. Public demand played a key role in getting this ROB project initiated,” said A Andreas, a former member of the Rail Passengers Association.

Residents opined the situation worsened during the monsoon season, when they are forced to travel through Putlur. “Rising fuel prices have further increased the burden on us, as we’re forced to travel longer distances due to the incomplete bridge,” a resident fumed.

A Highways Department official attributed the delay primarily to land acquisition issues. “The major delay was due to land acquisition. Some of the land belonged to the Housing Board, and a few occupants approached the court,” the official said. “Around 80% of the project has been completed. Of the 17 bridge decks, 16 have been completed; remaining work is in progress. The rest are expected to be completed within the next 2-3 months, after which the bridge can be opened for public use.”