the goan I network
MARGAO
The long wait at the Seraulim railway crossing may be finally over. Motorists from the village and neighbouring villages may now have an option of making it over to the other side via a Road under Bridge (RuB) just metres away at the existing railway crossing.
For, after years of endless delays and apathy, the State government has finally deposited Rs 3.63 crore with the Konkan Railway Corporation to build the RuB at Seraulim. If senior PWD officials are to be believed, the RuB will be built by the Konkan Railway on 50:50 cost sharing basis, indicating that the Konkan Railway will chip in its share of Rs 3.63 crore to put the RuB in place under the railway tracks.
Says PWD, Executive Engineer, Agnelo Barros: “The PWD has deposited the State government’s share of Rs 3.63 crore towards the construction of the RuB at Seraulim. After a two-month period, the Konkan Railway will take the proposal forward under the depositor work concept.”
He said the Konkan Railway will float the tender and execute the work of the RuB, saying the ball now lies in the court of the KR to take the project to its logical conclusion.
As far as the approach roads to the RuB are concerned, Barros said the PWD has already tendered work on the two-lane approach roads, which may cost the exchequer an amount around Rs 1.5 crore. “The PWD is ready to execute the work on the approach roads. While the KR will put the RuB in place, the PWD will lay the two-lane approach roads on either side of the RuB,” he added.
Incidentally, while the Konkan Railway had made the offer to build the RuB or a flyover at the Seraulim railway crossing years ago, the project had hit a block for want of sanction of funds from the State government.
Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao expressed his happiness that the government has sanctioned the funds for the Seraulim RuB. “I had taken up the issue with the government after I became an MLA in 2017. I pursued the project to ensure that the government gives its sanction and the necessary funds. I hope the project will see the light of day at the earliest,” he said.
Churchill recalled that he had assured the people of Seraulim during his election campaign that he would purse the RuB project as the flyover proposal could not materialise all these years. “As per my assurances, I took up the matter with the government and ensured that the government sanction the money,” he said.
While thanking the government for sanctioning the funds for the project, the Benaulim MLA hoped the Konkan Railway will expedite and take the project to its logical conclusion.
