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Karaikal to get one more bridge across Arasalar

Special Correspondent

Centre has sanctioned about Rs. 5 crore for the project

— Photo: K. Subramanian

GIVING WAY TO A NEW ONE: The 150-year-old bridge across the Arasalar river at Karaikal in the Union Territory of Puducherry that collpased in the tsunami two years ago. — Photo: K. Subramanian

KARAIKAL: The people of Karaikal in the Union Territory of Puducherry are happy that a new bridge will be built across the Arasalar river at the same place where the old bridge built by the French Government about one and half century ago collapsed in the tsunami two years ago.

The Centre has sanctioned about Rs. five crore for construction of the bridge at the same place as it came under the National Highway No.45-A. This bridge is in addition to the bridge that was built, after the tsunami, by the Puducherry Government at a cost of Rs.3.5 crore, just 200 feet east of the collapsed bridge and was inaugurated by Chief Minister N.Rangasamy on February 28 last year.

Official sources told The Hindu on Monday that the traffic congestion in Karaikal would ease to a great extent once the new bridge was constructed on the NH-45A. The two bridges can be used for one-way traffic in the town — one for incoming and another for outgoing vehicles. The foundation stone for the new bridge will be laid by the month-end and the work would be completed in a year.

A. M. H. Nazeem (DMK), MLA of Karaikal North and Leader of the Opposition in the Puducherry Assembly, said the decision to construct a new bridge on the site of the collapsed bridge was taken following representation given to T. R. Baalu, Union Minister for Surface Transport, during his visit to Karaikal.

People of Karaikal, by and large, expressed happiness over the construction of one more bridge across the Arasalar river though a section of politicians objected to the construction, terming the initiative as a waste of money and felt the money could be spent for some other development activities in Karaikal.

S.P.Selvashanmugam, convener of Karaikal Struggle Group and president of the Puducherry Cauvery Delta Farmers Legal Action Committee, welcomed the decision to construct one more bridge across the Arasalar river.

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