The foundation for a bridge across the Noyyal linking Aththipalayam in Karur district and Ezhunoothimanagalam in Erode district was laid by V. Senthil Balaji, Minister for Transport, here on Sunday.
To be built in 18 months at a cost of Rs. 2.61 crore under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, the bridge will have 12 spans of 11.26 metres each. Its width will be 7.5 metres and length 146 metres.
Although a small bridge, it will benefit students and people of Aththipalayam, Velampalayam, Munnoor, Maragathapuri, and Kuppam on the Karur side and Ezhunoothimangalam, Kuppampalayam, Salai Pudhur, and Kodumudi in Erode district.
At present, they have been taking a circuitous route of about 7 km to 8 km to reach native place through Paramathi and Kodumudi.
Moreover, during the monsoon period, the villages are often cut off, official sources told The Hindu here on Sunday. This is one of the three vital infrastructures currently taken up for providing either inter-district or intra-district link to the local residents.
Bridge inauguratedThe Minister inaugurated a high-level bridge built at an estimate of Rs.1.20 crore linking Vellianai and Jegadhabi villages. With seven spans of 6.6 metres, the bridge is 51.94 metres long and 7.5 metres wide. “The work taken up in June last year has been completed a month ahead of the schedule,” say the sources. The bridge will benefit the residents of Landakottai, Mettupatti, Chellandipatti, Vellianai, and Jegadhabi within Karur district, according to sources.
Official sources said the plan for building a bridge linking Avudaiyarparai in Karur district and Kodumudi in Erode district was under consideration.
The bridge will come up at an estimate of about Rs. 6 crore and the design was being prepared.
RO donatedThe Minister held a discussion with the officials of the Highways Department about the utility of these bridges. He had a glimpse of a plan for the bridge to be constructed across the Noyyal.
The Minister inaugurated the reverse osmosis plant donated by the Karur Urban Cooperative Bank to Umayal Middle School at Mettu Street and Municipal High School at Kottaimedu and a ‘hundi’ to Sri Mariamman temple.
Aruna, District Revenue Officerl Murali, president of Urban Cooperative Bank; Vijaya and Ravi Karthikeyan, both Divisional Engineers, Highways Department; accompanied the Minister.
