Shoddy renovation brings ‘suicide bridge’ under the spotlight again

CHENNAI : The Thiru Vi Ka bridge connecting Adyar with Greenways Road, also known as suicide bridge among the locals, has been in news for the last six months for different reasons — suicide, installation of CCTV cameras to curb crime, renovation of the footpath and resident protests. Now, there’s a new concern.

The city Corporation completed the ‘renovation’ of the footpath on one side of the bridge at a cost of `88 lakh (funded by Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust) earlier last month, but the poor reconstruction has increased the level of the footpath by more than one foot. The fence that prevents the public from slipping into the river shrunk by more than a feet thereby increasing the risk of accidental falls.

“Now, the height of the footpath is half the height of an auto. The resident associations or civic forums were not consulted by the Corporation before renovation — an issue we have been raising for years together. How did the engineers in-charge of the project not see the grave danger of raising the height of the footpath, while it is evident to the naked eye?” rued C Ramakrishnan, vice president, Federation of Resident Associations of Adyar.

Thiru Vi Ka Bridge is an important location that connects north and south divisions of the city and also vulnerable to numerous anti-social activities. In August 2018, the Chennai city police had installed three CCTV cameras in the location to curb crime. 

The residents, who were forced to walk on roads or bicycle lanes, say the situation remains unchanged now. “The height of the fence has become so short that even if you bend a little to look into the river, you might fall,” said P Swapna, a resident of Adyar.When contacted, the Corporation officials refused to comment on the issue.