— Photo: M. Balaganessin
RAIN HAVOC: Stagnation of water at one of the bridges under construction at Manamelkudi in Pudukottai district.
PUDUKOTTAI: Sharp showers in the coastal parts of the district last week resulted in stagnation of water at a number of places where culverts and minor bridges are being constructed under the World Bank-funded East Coast Road project.
Hence, work was suspended for about a week by authorities of the Tamil Nadu Road Sector Project (TNSRP), which is executing the Rs.2,160-crore work on laying the 742-km ECR stretch from Arcot to Tuticorin, of which about 36 km falls in the coastal parts of the district.
A vast stretch of newly laid and levelled earth on the ECR stretch has turned slushy at places such as Manamelkudi. The stretch between Kattumavadi and Manamelkudi also accounts for a large number of rivulets, necessitating the construction of culverts. The overflowing water from the culverts brought all work to a grinding halt.
The project, which started in February 2004, is expected to be completed by March 2009.
Of the total outlay of Rs.2,160 crore, a sum of Rs.1,148 crore will be utilised to upgrade the ECR, TNSRP sources told The Hindu on Friday.
The upgrading work includes strengthening of the earth and ensuring technical stability of the area to suit the huge volume of heavy vehicles. With the receding of rain water, work is expected to resume immediately.
The project is being executed through meticulous planning, covering a stretch of 387 km between Arcot and Tiruvarur and 355 km between Nagapattinam and Tuticorin.
However, progress is tardy due to delay in shifting power poles and water pipelines and telephone cables.
“At a few places, the local bodies were not able to locate the nature and direction of the water pipelines,” the sources said.
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