The Tiruchi City Corporation will soon launch restoration work on the overbridge at Thennur as it has developed severe damages posing a risk to road users.
The expansion joints between the decks have been damaged leaving wide gaps. Following this, ₹41 lakh had been sanctioned by the civic body to carry out the restoration work. Located in a prime locality, the bridge witnesses a huge volume of vehicular movement. Road users frequently complain of bumpy and back-breaking rides.
According to officials, the bridge is more than two decades old and has not undergone any major repair work so far. However, in 2022, the civic body carried out minor work to level the gaps and potholes on the bridge without any traffic diversion.
Traffic diversion
A request has been made to the traffic police to finalise the diversion route and close the bridge to take up repair work. “Expert opinion has been sought to carry out the rehabilitation work. Once the traffic diversion is in place, the repair work would begin,” said a senior Corporation official.
The civic body expects to complete the work within a month as the construction of the new Fort Station bridge will commence soon, and all vehicles will be diverted via Thennur to reach Singarathope, West Boulevard Road, and nearby areas in the city.
The restoration of the Thennur bridge will not only provide a smooth ride for motorists but will ensure it handles the spurt in vehicular movement once the work on the Fort Station bridge begins, the official added.
“Restoring the bridge is the need of the hour and even the retaining walls are in poor shape. Adequate lighting should be provided to ensure the safety of the road users,” said P. Ayyarappan, a road safety activist. The officials should devise a proper diversion plan and remove encroachments on those roads to prevent traffic congestion, he added.
