Bhomi poja for bridge across Perumpallam Odai

Erode:Handlooms and Textiles Minister N.K.K.P. Raja inaugurating the bridge construction work across the Perumpallam Odai in Erode on Wednesday.Within six months, the Perumpallam Odai bridge would be completed and thrown open to traffic, said Handlooms and Textiles Minister N.K.K.P. Raja on Wednesday.He was inaugurating the bridge construction work, which commenced with a bhoomi puja.The causeway across the Perumpallam Odai on Jeevanandham Road in Erode was built by the British.

During the rainy season, four to five feet of water used to flow over the bridge, affecting traffic for several days.Further, the causeway was damaged in the middle and had been repaired on a temporary basis.Following this, the Erode Municipal administration has decided to construct the bridge with funds from the Infrastructure Development of Small and Medium Towns Scheme.Five years ago, proposals were sent to the Government and an estimate drawn up for the construction work to be carried out at a cost of Rs. 35 lakh.But due to some reason or the other and also due to the spiralling cost of construction materials, the contractors were reluctant to come forward to construct the bridge at a cost of Rs. 35 lakhs.

Consequently, the estimates had been revised and tenders floated ten times. Now a revised estimate had been prepared for Rs. 80 lakh and the contract finally confirmed.Giving details, Mr. Raja said the bridge construction was a long-felt need of the people of Erode and the entire amount of Rs. 80 lakh would be borne by the Infrastructure Development of Small and Medium Town scheme of the Government. The municipality was not spending any amount on it.He said the bridge would be 35 metres long, 8.5 metres broad and 2.5 metres high. It would be completed within six months. The Minister said Erode Municipality was carrying out several developmental works and all of them would be completed on time.He said road development, water supply and drainage construction had been carried out in all the 45 wards without any “partiality”.The Municipal Chairman K. Kumar Murugesh, Municipal Commissioner K.R. Selvaraj, Municipal Engineer K. Vadivel and others were present.