Thiruvanaikovil bridge likely to be opened in January

Decks have been cleared for completion of the road overbridge (ROB) on Chennai Trunk Road at Thiruvanaikovil.

The bridge is likely to be opened by January as legal hurdles have been cleared for the project, sources in the Highways Department said.

Although a major portion of the bridge structure has been constructed, the approach roads could not be completed as there were a few cases, mainly disputes on compensation for the properties to be acquired for the project.

“Court stays in four cases have been lifted, subject to certain conditions, and we are working hard to complete the project as early as possible, probably by January. However, the laying of approach roads, which are being laid anew, cannot be rushed through and has to be done layer-by-layer. We are doing our best,” an officer of the department said. Besides, retaining walls have to be built on a on a short stretch of the approach road.

With the district administration pushing the Highways Department to complete the bridge before the maha kumbabishekam of the Jambukeswarar Akilandeswari Temple, which was held last week, the department had been pressing hard to sort out the legal issues.

The ROB was scheduled to be completed by 2017. In June this year, highway authorities said that nearly 95% of works had been completed but could not complete the remaining work pending the land acquisition.

The project was sanctioned by the government as early as 2011 but construction began in 2016. The old bridge on Chennai Trunk Road was demolished to make way for the bridge. Extensive traffic diversions are in force in Srirangam over the past couple of years to facilitate construction of the bridge. Residents of Srirangam and Thiruvanaikovil have been complaining of hardship due to diversions.

Source