Residents of newly-added wards of the Tiruchi City Corporation have sought the construction of a minor bridge across the Kuvalai drain which separates Balaji Nagar and SAS Nagar, New Town near Kattur. They have resorted to taking a detour, along the accident-prone Thanjavur Road where there is no service lane, they say.
Balaji Nagar and SAS Nagar, New Town in ward number 63 of the Tiruchi City Corporation are divided by the Kuvalai drain, which branches off from the Uyyakondan canal. With the busy Thanjavur highway running on one side, the residents are unable to commute between the two localities, they say.
Four years ago, women in the locality took the initiative to mobilise funds to construct a pedestrian bridge across the canal. About ₹50,000 was collected and with it, large pipes, to ensure that the flow of water is unrestricted, were laid after which a concrete pedestrian pathway was constructed.
The minor bridge, if constructed would help two-wheelers and auto-rickshaws avoid the congested Thanjavur road. “This is mainly for people on SAS Nagar, Muthu Nagar side who travel up to the Kuvalai drain, walk across the pedestrian bridge to drop their children off to school in Balaji Nagar. At least 100 children from the nearly 1000 houses in the area go to school in Balaji Nagar,” A. Gunashekar, a resident of SAS Nagar said. Others ride on the wrong side of the road along the Tiruchi- Thanjavur road since there is no service lane. "Many accidents involving senior citizens and children have occurred and even then, the authorities have paid no heed," he said.
Representations have been submitted to the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Tiruverumbur MLA Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi by the New Town, Muthu Nagar, Vaithiyalingam Nagar, Roshan Nagar Integrated Residents Welfare Association.
A senior PWD official said that they were willing to give a no-objection certificate and have drawn up an estimate for construction of the bridge. ‘The residents said that they would make arrangements for the funds and we are awaiting its approval to begin work,’ he said.
A proposal at an estimate of ₹49 lakhs has been prepared, while the residents have approached the Tiruverumbur MLA and the Tiruchi Collector for assistance.
