Tension prevailed at the Thiru Vi Ka Bridge across the Adyar river for some time on Wednesday morning, as police asked the contractor, who is involved in widening the facility, to remove the cement concrete mixers as the large vehicles were blocking traffic. Sources said that the police had taken away the keys of the vehicles. The incident happened despite the company that is carrying out the work for the Highways Department having obtained the requisite permission.
“The work to connect the river bank with the last pile cap began last night and had to be continued in the morning as it cannot be stopped midway. The situation was then defused with higher-ups intervening,” said a source in the Department.
The bridge is being widened at a cost of Rs. 13.06 crore and will have seven lanes after the completion of work in about two months and will help reduce congestion in the area
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Even as workers poured water to cure the newly-laid concrete a few feet below the ground level, women flower vendors complained that after their shops were bull -dozed to make way for the bridge, the new shops had not been constructed.
“We have been paying the Chennai Corporation rent regularly. We have been waiting for an alternative for two months now. The garlands we make wilt as we don’t have a proper shade over our heads,” said a vendor. The Highways Department has already deposited Rs. 40 lakh with the civic body towards compensating the vendors.