The Ministry of Defence has accorded in principle approval for handing over 0.80 acres of land at Anakaputhur to complete the construction of a bridge across the Adyar river.
Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik told the Rajya Sabha on Monday in response to a question from the AIADMK Member of Parliament V. Maitreyan that the Tamil Nadu government had sought land measuring 0.2471 acres in Anakaputhur, contained within a pocket of 0.80 acres of defence land, for construction of a leftover portion of the bridge. An in principle approval has been accorded to hand over the entire pocket of 0.80 acres of defence land to the State government, he added.
Dr. Maitreyan said that he was happy to note that the reply of the Minister was positive. “The Central and State governments must resolve other technical glitches in the matter since the State had been awaiting clearance for this land owned by the Air Force Station, Tambaram, since 2011, for completing the construction of the bridge connecting Anakaputhur and Tharapakkam,” he said.
The approaches and ramps for the bridge on either side of the river are yet to be completed for want of land. The work to construct the two-lane-wide bridge with 11 decks had been stopped in 2011. Of the 11 decks, nine have been completed and sources in the Highways Department said that if they got the land, it would take them three months to complete the work. Due to the long wait, the cost of the project has escalated to ₹12.27 crore.
C. Sekar, a resident of Anakaputhur, said that residents were forced to take a circuitous route and travel several km just to cross the river and reach the other side. Residents of several areas including Rajeshwari Nagar and Pozhichalur will benefit if the bridge work is completed, he added.