Work on constructing a four-lane wide bridge across the Buckingham Canal on the Tiruvottiyur-Ponneri-Panchetti (TPP) Road is nearing completion. The concrete structure of the 533-metre-long bridge is ready and the approach ramps are now under construction.
Sources in the Highways Department said the cost of the civil work was estimated at ₹42 crore with the government sanctioning ₹58.64 crore for the entire project, which was taken up in 2016.
The Highways Department had to redesign 18 of the 28 pillars because of fuel pipelines and water mains running beneath the structure. “The lines were found at a depth of around 2 metres and so could not be shifted as they cover the entire length of the road,” said an official.
The bridge connecting Tiruvottiyur with Manali and other localities was constructed to replace an old two-lane wide facility that became weak after an accident some years ago. Construction work could not be continued for at least four months in a year because of the increase in the water level during monsoon. A temporary diversion road was built along the canal bank without affecting the flow of the water. A temporary railway gate was constructed.
Tiruvottiyur resident S. Ambigaidoss said the bridge across the canal was a crucial one, especially since it allowed workers from Tiruvottiyur to reach industrial areas in Manali and beyond. “We hope that lighting too would be provided on the facility by the respective government department so that it can be used at night,” he said.
