Flyover gets Railway nod after 14 years

kolkata: after an agonising wait of 14 years, the railway has finally given the nod to start the construction work of the ramrajatala flyover in howrah. it was decided at a meeting between the south eastern railway and state government officials recently that the state government would provide rs 7.93 crore and the railways will contribute another 7.43 crore for the construction of the long-awaited flyover.the construction work will begin on a build, operate, lease and transfer (bolt) basis. the railway authorities have also put together a three-member committee comprising chief engineer ser, ce eastern railway (er) and a representative of the state government to work out the modalities of the bolt scheme. residents of ramrajatala, dharsa, satasi and jagachha have been clamouring for the construction of the flyover since 1987. first deputy mayor of the howrah municipal corporation debesh sanyal had put forth the proposal to construct the ramrajatala flyover, which falls under the south eastern railway division, the same year. sanyal’s move was in support of the long-standing demand for a flyover by the residents of ramrajatala. “later, the proposal was sent to former state pwd minister jatin chakraborty, who strongly recommened the case and forwarded it to the railway authorities. however, the latter did not respond to the minister’s plea,� sanyal said. even as the railway authorities took their time with the proposal, a serious accident occurred at the ramrajatala railway level crossing on october 8, 1992. five persons died on the spot and 17 were injured. protesting against the negligence of the railway authorities, sanyal moved a resolution at the hmc’s 46th monthly meeting held on october 30,1992, demanding immediate construction of the flyover. he also took up the case with former pwd minister matish roy, “who once again forwarded the proposal to the “recalcitrant railway authorities.� but the project, was still not taken up.� according to sanyal, annoyed at the railway’s “lackadiasical attitude�, the ruling left front government urged uluberia mp hannan mollah to take up the issue.