Thiruvananthapuram: The railways will take steps to expedite the construction of 12 overbridges to replace level crossings in the Kollam Lok Sabha constituency, N K Premachandran, MP, said on Wednesday.Speaking at a high-level meeting with railway and govt officials, Premachandran said delays in land acquisition and the failure to appoint state agencies had slowed several bridge projects despite railway approval.The Iravipuram overbridge was completed in March 2026, while work on the Polayathode overbridge is progressing. The railways is bearing the entire cost of the latter, for which the contract was awarded to KRDCL in April 2025. Piling has been completed and the project is expected to be completed by May 2027.The general arrangement drawing (GAD) for the Kallumthazham overbridge was approved in Sept 2023 and the land acquisition is under way. GAD for the SN College Junction overbridge was approved in 2023, with tendering scheduled to begin after the completion and formal communication of the land acquisition process.At Kootikkada, GAD was approved on Aug 8, 2022. Though RBDCK issued the 11(1) notification on Nov 14, 2024, the land acquisition is yet to be completed. Steps are being taken to issue the KIIFB 19(1) notification.The Ollal overbridge has received railway approval and land acquisition has begun. The revised GAD for the Kundara Pallimukku overbridge was approved on April 23, 2025, and RBDCK is pursuing land acquisition.The state govt appointed RBDCK as the agency for the Kundara Mukkada, Keralapuram railway gate and Chandanathope overbridges on Aug 3, 2026. Procedures for preparing their GADs are under way.Though the GAD for the Idampalloor railway gate has been approved by the railways, the state govt is yet to appoint an implementing agency. The overbridge is significant as it will pass between two national highways.At Mayyanad, RBDCK has invited tenders for the overbridge. The contract is expected to be finalised soon, enabling construction to begin.The meeting decided that a delegation of MLAs led by Premachandran would meet chief minister V D Satheesan to seek urgent action on land acquisition and allocation of funds. Support from ministers representing the constituency will also be sought.The meeting was attended by MLAs Gopakumar and Vishnumohan, senior officials of Southern Railway, the district administration, the National Highways Authority of India, RBDCK, KRDCL and other agencies.
