Fund crunch holds up RuB/RoB works

Bolarum: Lakhs of residents around the Bolarum Railway Station are inconvenienced due to lack of facilities. With the MMTS phase II set to start soon, more trains will be halting at the station and it will eventually increase the crowds on and around the railway station.

This can cause more problems and inconvenience to the locals in spite of having a great train connectivity. The locals alleged that they have to face 2.3-km traffic jam at the LC gate every day.

Add to it, there are six schools in the stretch. They say they are in need of an over bridge to relieve the pressure of traffic. When the MMTS phase II becomes operational, the frequency of trains will increase, and only RUB/ROB will ease the traffic snarls up to a certain extent.

A retired railway employee and a local resident CH Simhadri, Organizing Secretary at Federation of Bolarum Colonies (FNBC), said, "We have sent a representation to the South Central Railways (SCR) for a ROB/RUB at Bolarum station replacing the existing LC Gate No.250.

The Railway Board sanctioned the approval and the proposal was sent to the State government for their approval for sharing of cost." He further added, "Generally, the cost is shared 50:50, but as the state has so far not allotted any funds for ROB/RUB and even for MMTS service, the cost-sharing is only 2:3.

Railways have spent more than their share in completing the Medchal-Bolarum-Secunderabad line for MMTS traffic but is unable to open it due to paucity of funds."

Murali Krishna, the executive committee member of the Federation of Bolarum Colonies (FNBC), said, "When a railway train passes, as the railway level crossing gate is closed, there is a traffic jam for about 3 km on both sides of the gate.

The problem spikes when the gate opens and everyone rushes to cross and get on the other side, thereby creating chaos. Due to lack of a divider, the traffic coming from both ends merge and the situation becomes haphazard."