Trains to be Affected, As Work Started on the new three-lane Edappally Railway Overbridge

Work has begun on the most important section of the new three-lane Edappally Railway Overbridge (ROB), a key project aimed at easing traffic congestion on the busy Edappally-Moothakunnam stretch of NH 66. To facilitate the construction, the Railways have introduced temporary train regulations and traffic blocks for about a week.

Important Work Started on Railway Portion

According to officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), work on the railway portion of the bridge started on Thursday. The Railways imposed a block on the Up line to allow construction activities. The most difficult phase of the project, the installation of a large Bow String Girder, is scheduled for Monday. On that day, train operations on both the Up and Down railway lines will be regulated to ensure the work is carried out safely.

Since the route is extremely busy, most construction activities are being carried out during the night to minimise disruption. Preparatory work for the project began on June 2, and officials expect the girder-launching process to take around 10 more days to complete.

Edappally ROB

The new Edappally ROB will be 633 metres long and 15 metres wide. Its most important section is a 63.48-metre span that will pass directly over active railway tracks. This section uses specially designed steel girders that were manufactured in Delhi and transported to the project site.

Officials explained that the giant Bow String Girder will be carefully slid across the railway tracks in a planned operation, connecting both sides of the highway corridor. Once completed, the bridge is expected to significantly improve traffic flow in the area.

Trains to be Affected

Due to the construction work, several trains will experience delays ranging from 10 to 40 minutes between June 14 and June 17. Affected services include the MGR Chennai Central-Thiruvananthapuram Superfast Express, Ernakulam-Karaikal Express, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Thiruvananthapuram Express, Nagercoil-Gandhidham Express, Thiruvananthapuram-Mysuru Express, Pune-Kanyakumari Express, Mysuru-Thiruvananthapuram Express, and the Thiruvananthapuram-Chennai AC Express. Passengers are advised to check updated train schedules before travelling.