The city residents were eagerly waiting for the inauguration of the two new bridges across the Vaigai -- one linking Tirumalairayar Padithurai with Sellur (named MGR bridge) and the other between Arapalayam and Aruldosspuram (Jayalalithaa bridge).
As for the Sellur bridge, the prime approach road from Simmakkal, the Tirumalirayar Padithurai Road, is not wide enough to divert heavy vehicles, especially city buses, from Simmakkal. Moreover, the total stretch of the 20-foot-wide road has been encroached by vendors with their carts and haphazardly parked two-wheelers and autorickshaws. In the end, the utility of this vital link has been reduced vastly.
The Tirumalairayar Padithurai Road is not wide enough to give free access to vehicles on either side of the short elevated stretch to the Vaigai Tenkarai Road when it joins the bridge. , as in the case of nearby Kalpalam or Madura Coats bridge.
But the bridge has come handy for pedestrian traffic of the Chithirai festival crowd to move with ease from areas north of the Vaigai to the south and vice versa. But it remains to be seen whether the patronage of the public will continue after the festival.
A shortcut
Ironically, not many motorcyclists coming from North Veli Street, Tamil Sangam Road and Workshop Road know that they can totally avoid Tirumalairayar Padithurai Road and still use the bridge to reach Goripalayam or Sellur in quick time. After the Central Public Library in Simmakkal and bang opposite the Vazhividum Siddhi Vinayakar Temple, one can take Hanumarkoil Padithurai Road which serves LNP Agraharam and Adhimoolam Agraharam and go straight to the Vaigai Thenkarai Road and take the new bridge to reach the other side of the Vaigai in minutes. This way, one can avoid the busy Simmakkal to Yanaikkal stretch.
