Srikona Rail Over Bridge to be completed by March 2022; ROB at Badarpurghat is being planned for construction

Focusing on the safety of passengers, the Indian Railways is looking to eliminate all manned level crossings (MLCs) in the next three years. Accordingly, a Rail Over Bridge was taken up for construction at the Srikona rail crossing. But unfortunately, around 5 years have passed; the bridge could not be completed. 

In reply to an RTI filed by one Kushal Deb Roy, from Silchar, National Highway and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) replied that the commissioning of the bridge is scheduled in the next 3 months.

“The project of two-lane with paved shoulder from 6.25 (Silchar ISBT) to Km. 10.40 (Srikona Daily Bazar) is currently being executed on EPC mode by NHIDCL. Under the aforesaid package, a ROB of 62m Open Web Girder is being constructed over LC No. 5BS” the reply mentioned.

As per the extant practices, the Railway portion of ROB is approved by Railway Authorities. “Since 62m Open Web Girder is a special case, the approval of the same was given by RDSO, Lucknow, Railways. The inspection of the fabricated girder has been completed by railways recently and the final launching and other site activities related to ROB are likely to be completed within the next 3 months” NHIDCL said in the RTI reply.

Tentatively the project is slated for completion by 31′ March 2022.

In yet another query, the public sector unit revealed that it is undertaking the preparation of Four Lane DPR from Silchar-Churaibari in the state of Assam under BHARATMALA Project. “In the project, all the existing LCs (including 1 BS) will be closed by constructions of ROB over the LCs or near the vicinity of LCs”

Accordingly another ROB at Badarpurghat is being planned for construction. Daily commuters, will know the necessity of this bridge at the said juncture.