Southern Railway’s Palakkad Division on January 2 responded to reports about the delay in opening the Mahakalipadpu twin Railway Under Bridge (RuB) at Jeppu. The Division said, “The request for a No Objection Certificate [NOC], as claimed by the local authorities, is not a mandatory requirement from the Railways for opening the Railway Under Bridge [RuB] to public traffic.” The Railway portion of the work is fully done. “The Railway portion of the work has already been completed, and as per established procedure, the facility can be opened for public use by the concerned authorities once the remaining approach and allied works under their jurisdiction are completed and statutory requirements are complied with,” the Division explained. The clarification aims to remove the impression that Railways caused any delay. “There have been no procedural delays, administrative hurdles or intentional hold-ups from the Railway,” it said. All work within the Railway’s jurisdiction was finished by December 15. The work followed all approved technical and safety guidelines. The project received sanction from Railway authorities, including standards for quality, drainage, structural and electrical safety. According to the Railway’s rules, once the required safety certificate is submitted, the RuB can open without more inspections from Railway Headquarters. “The balance works required for commissioning the RuB — approach roads, traffic integration and readiness for vehicular movement — fall under the purview of the local/State government authorities concerned,” the Division added. The Palakkad Division also said it supports the earliest possible opening of the Mahakalipadpu twin RuB to help public convenience and improve traffic flow.