Construction of a bridge across the Tirunelveli – Kanniyakumari four-lane highway over the Tamirabharani – Karumaeniyar – Nambiyar Flood Carrier Channel at Ponnaakudi near here commenced on Thursday.
As the flood carrier channel, which is being dug to take the excess water of the Tamirabharani to the rain shadow areas of Nanguneri, Thisaiyanvilai, Radhapuram and Sattankulam, crosses the four-lane national highway at Ponnaakudi near here, the 60-metre-long bridge is being built on an outlay of ₹17.09 crore.
Speaking to reporters after laying foundation stone for the bridge, Speaker M. Appavu said the Tamirabharani – Karumaeniyar – Nambiyar linking project by digging a 73 km-long flood carrier channel, which was conceived for taking the surplus water of the Tamirabharani to the dry regions of Nanguneri, Radhapuram and Sattankulam areas, would be completed after the first two phases had been executed as planned. In the third phase, digging of the channel up to Moolaikkaraipatti has been completed.
Work on the remaining last phase had been expedited to complete the scheme before the onset of forthcoming northeast monsoon so as to take the surplus water now going waste into the sea to the dry regions this year itself to revive farming operations on over 50,000 acres. As part of the third phase, the bridge would be constructed at Ponnaakudi where the channel crosses the four-lane national highway. Similarly, a rail over bridge would be built in the same area.
“All works relating to the river-linking scheme will be completed by March 2022,” he said.
Referring to the charge leveled by former Radhapuram MLA I.S. Inbadurai that he was realigning the channel for the benefits of his friend, the Speaker said the channel was being dug as per the plan designed in 2007 by the then DMK Government.
“Digging of the channel is going on via the lands which were marked in 2007 itself. If any farmer complains that the channel was passing through the middle of his piece of land and appeals to the officials to dig the channel without affecting his farming operations, it will be looked into by the officials. This is a project which is being executed for the well being of the public, especially the farmers living in rain-shadow regions. The project will not be redesigned for benefiting any individual,” he promised.
Collector V. Vishnu, MLAs M. AbdulWahab and Ruby R. Manoharan were present.
