State Highway Department – The State Highways Department has started work on the construction of a ₹ crore high level bridge over the Viruthasiri river, a tributary of Palar, at Thakkolam village near Arakkonam town in Ranipet on the Thandalam – Perumbakkam – Ayarpadi main road, which will provide relief to residents of at least 28 nearby villages. Officials said the new bridge will be built between Thandalam and Ayarpadi villages under Nemili panchayat union in Ranipet district.
It will replace the existing causeway, built in the 1970s, which was damaged during the 2021 floods. Divisional Engineer (DE) of State Highways (Ranipet) S Selvakumar told The Hindu, “The new bridge will be built at a height of 15 feet above the river bed to prevent flooding even during major floods.
Despite the 15-month deadline, the bridge will be ready before the 2026 northeast monsoon. ” Handloom and Textiles Minister R.
Gandhi told Collector J. U. Laid the foundation of the bridge in the presence of.
Chandrakala on Sunday. This bridge will eliminate at least 15 km of detour to reach big cities like Sholinghur, Waljah, Ranipet and Arcot. Resident S.
“The new bridge will be a lifeline for the residents as they now cross the river in knee-deep water. This facility will help ambulances reach remote villages in time,” Pechiammal said.
Funded under the Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Program (CRIDP 2025-26), the two-lane bridge will be 125. 06 meters long and 10.
50 meters wide – wide enough for two buses to use at a time. The project will benefit around two lakh residents including farmers and traders.
School students can walk across the river to the nearest schools. This bridge will help in releasing about 50,000 cusecs of water per second. It will have tiled footpaths, LED lights, inlets to drain rain water into the river, reflectors, sign boards and hand railings.
Bitumen-topped approach roads will also be laid. This bridge will provide easy and safe access to at least 28 villages falling under Nemili Panchayat union in the district.