Chennai
oi-Prakash KL
A major arterial link on the Trichy-Chennai highway has descended into near-paralysis, with the sudden closure of the decades-old Cauvery Bridge for urgent structural repairs igniting both public fury and a disruptive roadside demonstration that brought rush-hour traffic to a shuddering halt.
The 675-metre crossing, which has served as a vital conduit since 1963, was taken out of service on Thursday for what officials describe as long-overdue maintenance, a decision that has not only stranded thousands of motorists but also exposed years of official inaction on broader infrastructure woes in the region.
The decades-old Cauvery Bridge on the Trichy-Chennai highway closed Thursday for urgent ₹10 crore structural repairs, causing traffic paralysis and protests over the three-month timeline and a shelved local flyover project, based on IIT-Madras advice.
By Friday morning, tempers had boiled over in Sanjeevi Nagar, where local residents commandeered a stretch of the national highway to press their case. Their grievance was twofold: first, that the three-month timeline for the bridge works is untenable; and second, that a separate, repeatedly promised flyover project in their neighbourhood remains indefinitely shelved, despite repeated assurances from the sitting Member of Parliament.
The resultant tailback told its own story. Vehicles lay locked in unmoving columns for upwards of three kilometres, the congestion bleeding across multiple junctions – from Oyamari Road and Mambazha Salai to Thiruvanaikaval and beyond. Commuters trapped in the snarl described journeys that had stretched into hours, with no alternative routes offering relief.
Traffic officials arrived on the scene, engaging protest leaders in urgent dialogue in an effort to clear the blockade. While talks were described as “constructive,” no immediate resolution was announced, and the road remained partially obstructed through the afternoon.
The timing of the works has drawn particular scorn. The National Highways Authority of India, which ordered the shutdown, had reportedly been advised by experts from IIT-Madras following a recent structural assessment to replace 120 load-bearing fixtures and 16 expansion joints across the bridge.
The ₹10 crore projected had been deferred for over a decade and a half, raising awkward questions about why the intervention was not planned better or phased to minimise disruption.
With the bridge now off-limits to all traffic, both carriageways are being funnelled onto its adjacent twin, a diversion that engineers warn will struggle to cope with peak flows. The ripple effects, particularly on long-haul routes connecting Chennai, Trichy and Madurai, are expected to intensify over weekends and public holidays, a prospect that has already prompted calls for a revised schedule or accelerated completion.
For now, the old bridge stands silent, its scaffolding and barricades a stark reminder of a system stretched thin – and a community that feels its patience has worn through.
