For residents of Orakattupettai in Kancheepuram district, walking across the scorching hot dry-river bed of the Palar river bed is a daily routine.
Elders in the village remember a time when efforts were taken to construct a bridge to connect their village to the Chengalpattu — Kancheepuram road. But that was washed away even as work was on many years ago. “It is dangerous to walk during the monsoon when the river is in spate, we take the Thirumukkoodal bridge near Walajabad. That is a very circuitous route as we have to travel 30 kilometres to reach Chengalpattu which is 7 km away,” says B. Ranjithkumar.
Taking into consideration, the needs of Orakattupettai and some 20 other villages including Thinayur, Meiyur and Kaavi Thandalam, the Highways Department is now constructing a Rs. 25 crore, 630 metre-long bridge that will connect Orakattupettai with the Chengalpattu -Kancheepuram road. Work on the 2-lane bridge with footpaths on either side is expected to be completed well ahead of schedule of 2016 end.
“Deck slabs will be placed from next month and we expect the work to be over in six-seven months,” a source explains. A rough pathway formed due to the constant use by vehicles and pedestrians runs alongside the bridge on the river bed. “Residents can use this pathway only during the day. At night it is not safe. Once the bridge is completed, it will be a boon to us,” a resident adds.
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