The Hindu 01.08.2013
New bridge nearing completion
The Anna Nagar link road project, which has been making a tardy progress over the past four years, finally seems to be heading towards completion with the construction of the bridge across the Uyyakondan river reaching the finishing stages.
Sources in the Tiruchirapalli City Corporation say the link road will be completed in the next three months.
The civic body has drawn much flak, from residents and the elected representatives over the execution of the project which has been progressing in fits and starts since 2009.
The road is to link Anna Nagar Main Road and Lawsons Road Junction near the MGR Statue in Cantonment in the city.
The project included the construction of a new bridge across the Uyyakondan near the Uzhavar Sandhai grounds.
The road was sanctioned several years ago at a cost of about Rs. 4.38 crore, which includes a grant of Rs. 1.20 crore from Seed Capital Assistance Scheme of Department of Town and Country Planning.
The contract for the project, including the construction of the bridge, approach roads, and drains alongside the road, was bagged by a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam functionary under the previous government.
The work commenced in earnest only in 2011. It suffered at least two breaks owing to the delay by the contractor, leading to calls for cancellation of the contract. The work resumed in June last year after the civic authorities went in for certain changes in the design of the bridge.
Corporation sources say the final slab of the new bridge would be laid on Thursday and the work on laying the approach road towards the Lawsons Road junction would commence soon. Once the work on the bridge is completed, the approach road will be laid. The corporation has acquired a portion of land from the district court complex for laying the approach road to the new bridge from the Cantonment side.
Meanwhile, the Corporation Council at its meeting on Tuesday approved a proposal to strengthen the Anna Nagar Main Road and link it up with the new bridge at a cost of Rs. 75 lakh.
Another proposal to build retaining walls along the approach road and storm-water drain on the Anna Nagar Main Road side, at a cost of Rs. 50 lakh, was approved.
The link road is expected to ease the congestion on Thillai Nagar Main Road and Woraiyur Road.
Motorists face hardship owing to the traffic bottleneck on the Anna Nagar Main Road-Pattabiraman Pillai Road junction as all mofussil buses entering the city from the Chathram Bus Stand side have been diverted through the Anna Nagar Main Road.
Once completed, the link road is expected to become an arterial road in the city.
A portion of land acquired from the district court complex for laying the road. The road will improve flow of traffic between Chathiram bus stand and Anna Nagar. The project, initially estimated at Rs. 4.28 crore, was sanctioned several years ago. Work has been progressing in fits and starts ever since it was started in 2011. Corporation has decided to strengthen Anna Nagar Main Road and link it with the bridge.
