Despite opposition from political parties and residents, Mayor V.V. Rajan Chellappa on Friday announced that the two causeways across the Vaigai at Aruldosspuram and Tirumalairayar Padithurai would be demolished to make way for the proposed high-level bridges.
“A feasibility study was carried out before we decided to construct the high-level bridges, and it was found that the causeways had to be demolished for the construction to take place,” he said at the council meeting.
Questioning the locus standi of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) opposing the project, AIADMK councillor S.T. Jayabalan said the causeways were built and commissioned during the DMK regime in 1996-2001.
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“At that time, the AIADMK had raised severe objections and sought high-level bridges to be built instead of causeways but to no avail. After their construction, the causeways had been submerged on at least six occasions and suffered damages,” he said.
As a result, they were in a bad state, he said. “Keeping the safety of people in mind, the causeways will have to be demolished to make way for high-level bridges which will ease traffic congestion and benefit people,” he added.
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However, councillor of ward 9 M. Dass said that he had not been consulted on the project though the causeways were located in his ward. “While I agree that high-level bridges are needed, I was not informed or briefed about this proposal,” he said.
The high-level bridge at Aruldosspuram connecting the E.S.I. Hospital junction with Arapalayam junction will be constructed at a cost of Rs. 18 crore and the bridge at Tirumalairayar Padithurai connecting Goripalayam junction with Simmakkal junction will be constructed at a cost of Rs. 12.40 crore.