With the Highways Department set to begin major rehabilitation work on Cauvery bridge in the city soon, Collector M. Pradeep Kumar on Monday made an inspection of the structure.
He was accompanied by officials of the Highways, Police and Transport Departments. Mr. Kumar discussed with the officials the possible traffic diversions that would be required to facilitate the work. The government has sanctioned the major rehabilitation work at an estimated cost of ₹6.87 crore.
Built in 1976, the bridge across connects Tiruchi city with Srirangam and caters to a huge volume of traffic. In recent years, motorists have been complaining over the severe jolts experienced while driving on the bridge. The department officials have used advanced guniting method to repair the damaged edges at expansion joints. Yet gaps keep surfacing on the expansion joints of the bridge.
Officials of the Highways Research Station conducted a study and found damages in the “dirt and wing wall of abutments,” and scouring of piers besides wear and tear of the elastometric bearings in all supports. The riverbed around the foundation had also undergone scouring in at least nine piers.
The government has also approved the construction of a new bridge adjacent to the existing one to cater to traffic on one direction. The existing bridge, after rehabilitation, would cater to traffic on the other direction.
The Transport Department, in consultation with the police, are expected to announce traffic diversions shortly to facilitate the execution of repairs on the bridge.
