Diversion necessitated by the repair work on the bridge across the Palar in Chengalpattu hit vehicular traffic on the busy G.S.T. Road, leaving commuters stranded for several hours.
Replacement of expansion joints by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) that bear the pressure of vehicles on the bridge (constructed in 1953) near a distillery is the reason for the diversion.
Vehicles from places such as Tiruchi to Chennai have been diverted to the East Coast Road at Tindivanam thus avoiding entering Chengalpattu, said District Collector A. R. Rahul Nadh, who inspected the route chosen for the diversion on Tuesday along with Superintendent of Police P. Aravindan and other officials.
Mr. Rahul Nadh said the repair work had been put on hold for over a year and had to be taken up now as otherwise it could lead to further damage to the structure. The traffic diversion had been effected since Monday and it was likely to remain in force for up to 60 days.
Expansion joint work on Palar bridge, on the Tindivanam - Chennai section is going on | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Adarsh Pachera, ASP, Chengalpattu, said that on Monday very heavy vehicles were diverted at Pukkathurai junction but buses and trucks were allowed till Meiyyur junction.
From Tuesday, all heavy vehicles, including buses, are being diverted at Pukkathurai, 8 km ahead of the bridges on the G.S.T. Road. The vehicles have to go via Pazhaya Seevaram and join G.S.T. Road at Irumbuliyur. This is a diversion of 20-25 km. Smaller vehicles are diverted at Meiyyur, which is 50 metres ahead of the bridge. These vehicles join the G.S.T. Road after passing through Chengalpattu town, which is a diversion of 6 km.
Ambulances and fire engines are not diverted.
Monday evening though turned out to be a harrowing experience for thousands of travellers. After Madurantakam, the movement of vehicles slowed down and there was chaos well into the night.
Although policemen were posted well ahead of the point of diversion and traffic allowed on one lane, they could get to notify only a few motorists about the jam ahead.
With plenty of heavy vehicles like buses and thousands of cars and two-wheelers jostling for space, it became a nightmare of sorts as it took two to three hours for the travellers to cross a stretch that normally takes less than 10 minutes. "Policemen posted along the route told me that there was heavy traffic on the road. But then I had spent close to one hour an my car on the road only to move inch by inch a few hundred metres. I took a U-turn and went back to take the Thirukazhukundram Road to reach my residence in Padur," said Ajay, a software professional who was travelling with his family.
Repairs on other side
After about three weeks, when the work on the old bridge is completed, traffic from Chennai to Tiruchi will be allowed on that lane and the diversions introduced for motorists towards Chennai will continue till the work on the new bridge is over. The cost of the work is estimated to be Rs. 1.4 crore.
The top layer of the bridge is being cut open to a depth of one foot and the expansion joints are being replaced, said an official in the NHAI, who added that the work should have ideally been taken up several years ago.