The Salem Corporation has handed over additional ₹ 40 lakh to Railways for laying approach road to the recently constructed limited use subway at Bodinayekenpatti near Salem Railway Junction.
The Salem Railway Division executed the project replacing a narrow waterway at an outlay of ₹ 2.83 crore. The project was executed with the funds provided by V. Panneer Selvam, MP, and G. Venkatachalam, MLA, from the respective MP and MLA Local Area Development fund, besides Salem Municipal Corporation.
The underpass connected Bodinaikenpatti with the other side of city.
Over 1,000 families
The project was put in use for public in April last. However, the joy of about 1,000 families residing in Bodinaickenpatti, Andipatti and Annanagar areas for whose benefit the project was executed, was short lived as there was no proper approach roads on both sides of the underpass.
The absence of approach roads led to much resentment among the local community, who demanded both the Railways and the Salem Corporation to lay the roads with immediate effect.
They threatened to launch agitations for the same.
Meanwhile, the Salem Railway Division wrote to the Salem Corporation seeking additional ₹ 40 lakh for the laying of the approach road.
A statement of R. Sadheesh, Corporation Commissioner, issued here on Thursday said that a cheque of ₹ 40 lakh was handed over to the Railways for the laying of the approach road.
While Mr. Venkatachalam sanctioned additional ₹ 20 lakh from his MLA Local Area Development fund, the Corporation sanctioned its share of ₹ 20 lakh from its general fund.
The Railways is expected to commence the approach road laying works soon.
Published - September 20, 2018 09:48 pm IST
