The road overbridge being constructed across the Surakadu Uppanar, about two km away from Sirkazhi, would be completed soon, Collector S.Suresh Kumar said here on Wednesday.
Mr. Suresh Kumar, who inspected the progress of the construction work along with officials of the National Highways Authority of India, said the construction of the bridge was under way in full swing and nearly 93% of the work has been completed. Approach roads towards Nagapattinam and Sirkazhi are being laid for a total length about 196 metres.
Since it is being built on the busy National Highway 45 A, connecting tourist centres such as Kodiyakarai, Velankanni, Nagore and Thirunallur with Puducherry and Chennai, it was important to complete the work at the earliest, he told officials. The bridge was sanctioned at a cost of ₹8.85 crore under the National Highway Development Programme, a press release said.
Later, he inspected the progress of construction of a paddy storage godown along with a modern rice mill at Erukkur in Sirkazhi union. The godown and the rice mill are being established at a cost of ₹58.47 crore. Silos with a total capacity of 50,000 tonnes are being established in the complex.
The silos would help store paddy for one to two years, safe from damage from rodents or natural causes. Two modern rice mills,which would process about 100 tonnes a day, were coming up.
Since the godown was close to the railway line, paddy consignments could be transported trough conveyor belts directly to the godown from goods wagons in future, he said.
Another storage godown was coming up at Edamanal. It would have a storage capacity of 40,000 tonnes. The facility is being established in an area of 34.76 acres at a cost of ₹58.75 crore with financial assistance from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development. The godown would be established within one year.
