Balangir: Lack of co-ordination among various departments has delayed construction of the railway overbridge in Titilagarh.

Three stakeholders - the East Coast Railway, public works department and the National Highways Authority of India - have not yet been able to settle the issue of ownership of the road, which is part of the project.

Titilagarh MLA Tukuni Sahu has come forward to take up the issue. She held a meeting with the top railway officials to discuss the project's progress on Sunday.

Construction of the 953.30-metre-long bridge over the railway level crossing in Titilagarh had begun in 2012. Work on the project is now completely stopped because of the indifferent attitude of the departments associated with the project.

Kumuda Pahad Suraksha Samiti convener Brundaban Padhi said they had always drawn attention of the railway officials about the overbridge whenever anyone visited the station.

"The half-done overbridge is located at the level crossing in the town. Since Titilagarh is a busy railway station in west Odisha, the crossing gate has to remain closed frequently, creating traffic congestion on the stretch. Commuters face inconvenience and vehicles on both sides of the crossing are stranded for most of the time in the day," Padhi said.

He alleged that the overbridge had been under-construction more than five years.

The revised cost of the project is now estimated at Rs 77.60 crore, out of which the state will bear 53,38 per cent and the railway will bear the rest 46.62 per cent of the cost.

The railway has so far not spent a penny because of the land litigation.

The revenue inspector and Titilagarh tehsildar will identify the owner of the stretch and send a report to the district collector. The Balangir collector, in turn, will send the report to the government.

MLA Sahu said she would follow up the matter once the collector sent the report to the government. "I have held discussion with the railway officials about the land hurdles in the project. I will follow up the matter once the collector sends the report to the government. I will try to get it cleared as quickly as possible," she said.