KARUR: The continued neglect of the damaged Amaravathy bridge and a lack of political will to deal with the connected case of corruption has left the Karur people exasperated. With monsoon about to break over the region, causing increased flow in the river, authorities fear that unless immediate repairs are carried out, the bridge may have to bear more damage.

During the flash floods last year, a part of the approach road from the Tirumanilayur side collapsed. Traffic was suspended as cracks started developing across the breadth of the bridge.

Then a political hue and cry was raised, leading to the then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to order a technical probe. Based on the findings, a high-level committee recommended a CB-CID probe and registration of a case against the incumbent Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, among others.

While nothing substantial has moved in the case, there are valid concerns that no concrete and permanent repair works to the bridge have been undertaken.

Only temporary repair works were carried out and that too to tide over a looming crisis.

Forced to face the nature's fury, the damaged portions continue to get damaged further. Officials concerned fear that unless permanent remedy is found, leaving the courts to deal with the case, irreparable damage could be caused to the bridge and that too at a heavy cost.

Now the officials are resorting to another patchwork — piling sand bags on the damaged portion to ward off flash floods.

But officials confer that some cracks might have developed on the road surface just off the damaged portion and that could spell trouble for the bridge.

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