Longest Limited Height Subway near Simhachalam station

Visakhapatnam: Considering the public demand, a limited height subway was constructed between Gopalapatnam and Adarsh Nagar region near Simhachalam station.

Public representatives, including west constituency MLA PGVR Naidu have consistently requested for an underpass to facilitate easy access for people to the other side of the station.

Keeping the importance of the underpass in view, Waltair Division made consistent efforts and obtained approval from the ECoR headquarters for the construction of a Limited Height Subway (LHS) in lieu of the existing level crossings at SP1 and SS1 at Simhachalam station.

As soon as the revised drawings for the LHS were approved by the ECoR headquarters and the block was approved by the Railway Board, the division under the supervision of Divisional Railway Manager Saurabh Prasad took up the project to complete it at the earliest.

The construction of the LHS was commenced on Saturday following a ‘cut and cover’ method and the box casting process has been completed after two days.

Earlier, General Manager ECoR Manoj Sharma and the DRM, Waltair explained Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw during his review of Simhachalam Amrit Station regarding the complex construction work involved which would result in closure of two level crossing gates simultaneously.

The preparatory safety works started for launching the Limited Height Subway across six tracks going in three directions at Simhachalam to eliminate two level crossings. DRM, ADRM and senior officers were present at the site to oversee the works at the execution site.

The 64-m long LHS is the longest subway in the division, involving placement of 32 boxes using heavy duty cranes, excavators and other machinery. In the first phase, the execution of LHS segments was successfully completed under the railway track leading to Steel Plant, Port, Duvvada freight traffic lines at Simhachalam by Waltair Division and the goods train movement resumed on these lines. The current level crossing gates will be closed as soon as the LHS gets completely operational. This development aims at addressing the longstanding demand for improved connectivity and at providing a safer and more efficient means of crossing between the Chandra Nagar areas and the main road of Simhachalam station.

Once the LHS gets completely operational, about 20 villagers would get relief from traffic woes.