The bridge across the Cauvery on the Chennai-Tiruchi–Madurai National Highway was reopened for traffic on Thursday evening, after completion of repair and maintenance work taken up by the National Highways Authority of India since the last week of June.

Extensive repair work sanctioned at an estimated cost of about ₹10 crore were carried out on the bridge, built in 1963.

The repair work included replacing 120 bridge bearings and repairing 16 strip-seal expansion joints, and carrying out structural strengthening measures. The bridge was last repaired in 2010. Sources in the NHAI told The Hindu that all the 120 bearings had been replaced and repairs on the 16 expansion joints completed.

The reopening of the bridge for traffic would come as a big relief to commuters as the Tiruchi-Chennai Bypass and the Tiruchi-Chennai Trunk Road in Srirangam had been facing severe traffic congestion ever since it was closed for repair work on June 25.

The bridge was closed on June 25 to facilitate repairs by the NHAI’s concessionaire maintaining the section. Traffic had been diverted via the other carriageway between Sanjeevi Nagar Junction and Kondayampettai. Although the City Traffic police had deployed a team to manage the situation, traffic snarls on the highway and within the city had become frequent. The closure of the bridge had resulted in a large number of drivers using the Tiruchi-Chennai Trunk Road which runs across Srirangam to and from the NH and residents of Srirangam had been complaining of harrowing experiences during their daily commute in recent months because of severe traffic congestion on the Tiruchi-Chennai Trunk Road between No. 1 Tollgate and the Anna Statue Junction.

Given the heavy volume of traffic on the highway and the approaching festival season, Tiruchi Member of Parliament Durai Vaiko had been pushing the NHAI to expedite the work. Mr. Durai Vaiko expressed happiness over the completion of the work and cooperation extended by various government agencies.