The hardships that residents, particularly students and women, have had to put up with while crossing the Cheyyar river, especially during monsoon, will soon be a thing of the past as work has commenced to construct three high-level bridges across the waterbody in Kalasapakkam near Tiruvannamalai town.
Minister for Public Works, Highways, and Minor Ports E.V. Velu, who was accompanied by Collector B. Murugesh, had laid the foundation stone for the bridge projects. “The new bridges will come up across the river which has been devoid of such facilities, including a causeway. It has been a long-standing demand of the residents of nearby villages,” R. Sundari, Divisional Engineer, NABARD & Rural Roads, State Highways (Vellore), told The Hindu. Funded under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) 2022-23 of the NABARD, the three bridges will be built at a total cost of ₹55.88 crore. The three bridges will respectively span between Poondi and Palankoil villages; Kilpotharai and Poovampattu villages, and Keelthamaraipakkam and Thenmagadevamangalam villages. The work is expected to be completed in 22 months. As per the plan, the two-lane bridge will be 250 metres long and 12 metres wide. It will be 4.5 metres in height from the river bed, facilitating easy flow of excess rainwater in the river during monsoon. Tiled footpaths, LED street lights and inlets to discharge excess rainwater from the new bridge to the river also form part of the new facility. “Many a times, due to the lack of proper connectivity, sick people from the villages are carried on foot by men who cross the river to reach nearby towns. The new bridges should end our ordeal,” said K. Masiammal, a resident. Residents said that at present they have to take a detour of at least 15 kms to reach towns, including Polur, Arani and Kalasapakkam, for work due to the surge in water flow during monsoon. During emergencies, residents carry the sick in cloth sling across the river, risking their lives. Farm produce like paddy and groundnuts are transported in tractors by that negotiate the course of the river. The new bridges are expected to benefit at least 27 villages in Kalasapakkam panchayat union that comprises over 50 villages in Tiruvannamalai.
