DC Orders Closure of Railway Level Crossing Gate at Mahakalipadpu to Speed Up 4-Laning Work

By
Alfie Dsouza, Team Mangalorean.
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Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Mullai Muhilan Ordered the Closure of the Railway Level Crossing Gate at Mahakalipadpu in the Jeppu/Morgansgate vicinity to Speed Up 4-Laning Work, only after the Railway under Bridges were Commissioned

Mangaluru: Even though the four-laning of NH 66 Morgan’s Gate-Jeppinamogaru Junction has been going at a slow pace, there has been yet another hurdle which is delaying the ongoing work, and that is the Railway Level Crossing Gate at Mahakalipadpu, where nearly 50-60 trains cross this gate daily- and every time the gate is closed it will delay the work of the project. Therefore to commence and speed up the work on the twin railway under bridge (RuB) at Mahakalipadpu in Jeppu has been finalized with Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner M.P. Mullai Muhilan ordered the permanent closure of the Railway Level Crossing (LC) gate at the location after the RuBs were commissioned. The RuBs are part of the four-laning of NH 66 Morgan’s Gate-Jeppinamogaru Junction being executed by the Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL), at an estimated cost of Rs 50 crore.

While the foundation stone for the project was laid in March 2021 and the existing Morgan’s Gate-Jeppinamogaru Junction road was closed for heavy vehicles in December 2022, Southern Railway was yet to commence the actual work on RuBs — pushing concrete boxes under the Shoranur-Mangaluru Junction line and constructing concrete boxes under the Shoranur-Mangaluru Central line. When Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel wanted to know the reason for the delay in completing the RuB project, for which he had laid the foundation stone, during a review in December 2023 in Mangaluru, the railways had cited non-receipt of DC’s approval for closure of the Mahakalipadpu Level Crossing gate.

Senior Divisional Engineer (Coordination) of Palakkad division Nandalal Perumal had said unless the existing LC is closed, SR headquarters would not agree to the construction of the RuBs. Meantime, Mangaluru Smart City Ltd (MSCL) General Manager (Technical) Er K.S. Arun Prabha then assured ensure the approval in a couple of days. Mangaluru City Corporation Commissioner and the Mangalore Sub-Divisional Assistant Commissioner have, in their report, recommended the closure of the level crossing gate subject to three conditions.

In his December 27 order, DC Muhilan said the Mangaluru City Corporation Commissioner and the Mangaluru Sub-Divisional Assistant Commissioner have, in their report, recommended closure of the LC gate subject to three conditions, the first one being commissioning of the RuBs before closing the LC gate. They also recommended that the existing road in front of Adi Maheshwari temple on the eastern side of the track be connected to the newly constructed four-lane road between the two railway lines. Also, the road connecting Moily Kere near the LC gate on the western side of the track should be upgraded to a pucca road with bitumen cover. Upon these conditions being met, the LC gate may be closed permanently. DC Muhilan passed the order accordingly.

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