Cauvery bridge to be closed to facilitate execution of four-lane project:Baalu

TIRUCHI: The bridge across the river Cauvery on the Chennai by-pass road in the city will be closed for three months for facilitating expeditious execution of the four-lane project on the Tiruchi – Chennai sector, the Union Minister of Shipping, Surface Transport and Highways, T.R. Baalu said.

Addressing the media persons after inspecting the construction of new major bridges across the Cauvery on the Chennai by-pass on Monday, Mr. Baalu said that the closure of the bridge to vehicular traffic was unavoidable for ensuring speedy execution of the four-lane project at this section.

Explaining the need for using the existing bridge for taking the heavy raw materials, concrete structure and machinery to this massive new infrastructure, Mr. Baalu said that round-the-clock movement of heavy vehicles (on the old bridge) delayed the project. The existing bridge and the new bridge were so close to one another, that dearth of space for moving the machinery and materials posed a challenge. Nor could the flow of water through the Cauvery be stopped in the wake of the agricultural operation in full swing in the delta region, he pointed out, justifying the need for closing the bridge to traffic for three months.

The Minister said that he had requested the district administration to immediately close the bridge. The district administration would initiate action to close it, after chalking out a schedule for diversion of traffic in consultation with the police, he said. The work on the construction of the new bridge across the Cauvery would be completed by December this year.

Coleroon bridge

In reply to a question, Mr. Baalu said that the construction work of the new bridge across the Coleroon was in full swing and would be completed before the end of November this year.