The residents belonging to Pulicat would feel delighted as their decade long demand would be met!!
Located at a distance of about 60kms from Chennai in the district of Tiruvallur, Pulicat Lake is the second largest brackish water lagoons in India. It is learnt that works to build a bridge across this lake that would connect many villages like Pasiyavaram, Sathankuppam, Edamanikuppam, Vairavankuppam etc to the mainland has been progressing slowly now.
In the month of August in 2020, the works started on the 1032 metres long 2-lane bridge at a cost of Rs 18.2 crores. The works would get over by the end of the year 2022. As per a resident belonging to Pulicat, the bridge was very important for the residents here mostly during the monsoon season. He threw light on how during rains the water level increases and this would force the public especially children to wade through the stagnated waters. By the middle of November 2022, the public would be able to cross the facility by foot .
Till now, there has been delay in getting approval for the construction of a bridge across Pulicat lake due to the presence of a bird sanctuary near the lake. It is true that the residents here have been fighting for a bridge for more than a decade.
Out of 20 deck slabs that would form the top of the bridge, 18 had been completed now. This was stated by some sources belonging to the state Highways department. By the middle of November month, 2 more slabs would be completed.
According to an engineer associated with the project, after mid November pedestrian traffic would be allowed as bituminous tar layer would also be laid simultaneously. He concluded that the total work would get over by December. The works were supposed to get over by August itself but got delayed.