₹3,300 Crore Rail-Road Revolution: 54 New Bridges for Srikakulam

Commuters in Srikakulam district are set to benefit from improved road-rail connectivity, with the central government sanctioning ₹3,300 crore for the construction of 54 bridges at railway level crossings. The initiative aims to ease traffic congestion and enhance safety at points where roads intersect railway tracks.

Described as a major infrastructure push, the programme includes multiple bridges and flyovers designed to eliminate delays and reduce risks associated with level crossings, where vehicular movement is halted during train passage. Officials said all projects are expected to be completed within two years.

Union Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu attended the groundbreaking ceremony for a flyover at Neelavathi village in the Palasa region, marking the formal launch of works under the initiative.

Alongside the bridge construction plan, railway authorities are advancing a third railway line project and implementing measures to support high-speed train operations. These developments are expected to improve both passenger and freight movement across the region.

The progress follows a recent administrative reorganisation by the Railway Board, under which the Palasa–Icchapuram stretch was shifted from the East Coast Railway to the newly formed South Coast Railway Zone. Since then, efforts have accelerated to eliminate level crossing gates in the Khurda and Waltair divisions through the construction of flyovers and underpasses.

Detailed project reports have been prepared for both divisions, and execution has been approved. In the first phase, 17 flyovers—including those at Talabhadra, Neelavathi, Baaligaon, Palasa, and Karapadu—will be taken up, with the remaining projects to follow in subsequent phases.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.