Work on construction of a new road overbridge across railway lines at Periyar Nagar near Thiruvanaikovil is finally set to begin with the city police on Saturday announcing traffic diversions effective Monday. The existing bridge will remain closed and traffic diversions would be in force until a limited-use subway is constructed at the site. The old bridge, which proves to be a traffic bottleneck on the arterial Thiruvanaikovil Trunk Road, will be demolished to make way for the new bridge. The four-lane ROB project, sanctioned a few years back at an estimate of Rs.47 crore, had to be kept on hold as the Highways Department had to await completion of the ROB on Odathurai Road, through which a major portion of the traffic has to be diverted.
Although the ROB on Odathurai Road was opened in February, the work at Periyar Nagar was deferred owing to the intervening Assembly election. Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, which will construct the railway portion of the ROB, is keen on early construction of the bridge as it falls on the Tiruchi-Valadi section, where track doubling work is apace.
Sources in the Highways Department said that the subway is planned to be completed in about 45 days so that at least light vehicles could be allowed through it. The Highways Department started construction of the subway last year but the work was suspended during the monsoon owing to high groundwater table and mud slides.
Traffic diversion
A press release issued by the city police said that the following traffic diversions would be enforced on the Thiruvanaikovil trunk road effective July 4:
All town buses and light vehicles heading for Srirangam and Thiruvanaikovil from Chathram Bus Stand would be diverted via Odathurai Road, Tiruchi-Chennai Bypass Road, Kumbakonathan Salai, Thiruvanaikovil Junction and Gandhi Road to reach Srirangam. In the return direction, these vehicles would take Amma Mandapam Road, Mambazhasalai, Cauvery Bridge and Anna Statue to reach Chathram Bus Stand.
Town buses and light vehicles from Chathram Bus Stand to Gunaseelam, Samayapuram and Lalgudi would go via the Odathurai Road, Tiruchi-Chennai Bypass Road, Kumbakonathan Salai and No.1 Tollgate. In the return direction, they would take Gandhi Road, Amma Mandapam Road and Cauvery bridge to reach Chathram Bus Stand.
Moffusil and heavy vehicles heading towards Musiri, Ariyalur, Jayamkondam and Thuraiyur routes from the city would go via Odathurai Road,Chennai Bypass Road, Y-Road junction and No.1 Tollgate. In the return direction, they would be diverted at No.1 Tollgate to go via Chennai Bypass Road, Sanjeevi Nagar intersection and Odathurai Road to reach Chathram Bus Stand.
The diversions would be in force for seven weeks.
