Underpasses in Dindigul create more problems than pave way for solutions

The 1.5 km Balakrishnapuram bridge, built at a cost of ₹56.25 crore on the Siluvathur Road in Dindigul took seven years for completion. But, when it was opened to traffic in 2023 for more than 1,000 families living in areas like Masilamanipuram and Govindaraja Nagar it  became a nightmare.

Now, their problems have only worsened. These neighbourhoods are sandwiched between three railway lines - the Palani line, Karur and Chennai lines. Except for the Chennai line, which is double track, the other two are single-track lines. As the area lies just about two km from the Dindigul railway junction, almost 100 trains daily run on these lines.

Before the bridge was built, the numerous residents living in about 40 villages in and around Dindigul like Rajakkapatti, Jumbuligapatti, Sendurai, Siluvathur, Thirumalaikeni, etc., had to wait for hours at the railway crossings. The bridge has come as a godsend for them.

“For us, the trouble has only worsened,” says Karthiga, a homemaker from Masilamanipuram, “We actually live near the railway line, and now we are almost under the bridge. The authorities built two underpasses that cross as part of the bridge construction work, but if it rains none of the underpasses can be used. So again we wait at the railway gates,” she adds.

Rajan, a retired teacher, from Balakrishnapuram chips in to say, “Earlier we would wait under the hot sun for the trains to pass, now we wait under the shade of the bridge.”

Work on the third underpass that falls under the Karur railway line remains to be completed. 

Though the two underpasses are open for traffic, till date the roads leading to the underpasses are unpaved. Even a little shower is enough to make the whole stretch leading to the underpasses slushy. The land near the tracks and adjacent to the underpasses is thick with undergrowth, filled with garbage and stagnant with putrid water. It is a health hazard for the numerous residents living nearby.

As the underpasses sit under the local water table, there is extensive oozing of groundwater from the various cracks in the concrete wall. The underpasses act as a drainage basin – the seepage along with the normal surface run-off collects into a massive pool of water, making it extremely difficult for vehicle users to cross the stretches.

Govindan, who runs a petty shop near the underpass, blames the situation on the local authorities. “Though these areas lie just half a kilometre away from Dindigul Corporation limits, we come under the Balakrishnapuram Gram Panchayat. Whenever there is flooding, and we press the administration to pump out water, they say that they do not have enough funds allocated for this purpose.”

“We are caught in a piquant situation,” says retired teacher Meenakshi. “Now, we can’t even sell our house and shift to some other place because no one is ready to buy houses here.”

Another underpass on the old Karur Road that comes under the Palani track is also facing the same issue.

In 2018, work began to construct the ₹17-crore underpass. In 2023, it was opened for traffic and trouble began immediately. The frequent water seepage from the walls on both sides of the underpass resulted in waterlogging all the time. During the rainy season, water gets stagnated and it is difficult to pump the water out, says a Corporation worker.

For residents living in MVM Nagar, Cooperative Colony and Nanthavanapatti, the old Karur Road is the direct link to places like Gujiliyamparai, Eriyod and 30 more villages. On this stretch there are various educational institutions. For them, the rainy season means taking a 3 km detour to reach their educational institutions as the underpass becomes unusable.

The only solution to this problem is paving the approach roads to the subways and preventing groundwater seepage from below and also managing surface storm-water from above, says activist Rajesh Kannan.

“It is time to adopt new technology like automated heavy-duty pumping stations, building grated drains just above the entry ramp so that it intercepts the surface run-off and diverts it to a storm water drain. Regular desilting of the subways, and also preventing waterlogging in areas adjacent to these tracks can minimise the problems faced by the residents to some extent,” he adds.

Dindigul MP R. Sachithanantham of CPI (M) says, “water stagnation in the underpasses during the rainy season is a looming issue for the residents here. We have taken up with the Highways authorities. The contractor has been asked to take steps immediately.”