The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has closed traffic on the old bridge at Veliyambakkam near the Athur toll plaza on the Chennai-Tiruchi highway following repairs.
Videos of the damaged bridge in Villupuram district have gone viral on social media for two days now.
Damage to a bearing made of elastomer material caused due to wear and tear has led to the bridge swaying at the joint. The bearing is inserted between the pier cap and the deck slab to bear the load and the friction between the two surfaces, explained an official in the NHAI.
A damaged part of the bridge at Vilampakkam in Vilupuram district | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
The bearing on the two-lane wide bridge that usually carries traffic towards Tiruchi was found to be crumbling, which is normal in bridges that are over 40 years old. The NHAI will now install three bearings at the spot, officials said.
For now, traffic has been diverted to the adjacent four-lane wide bridge that was constructed in 2003-04. Rectification work is likely to take around 7 to 10 days. On Friday, Villupuram district Collector D. Mohan and Superintendent of Police N. Srinatha visited the spot to ensure motorists were not put to any hardship.
NHAI officials including Technical Advisor Aravind and Project Director Chaitanya inspected the bridge. They checked the entire structure to see if there was any other damage.
