State Highways expedites work on ₹24-crore high-level bridge across Then Pennar river in Tiruvannamalai

The State Highways department has accelerated construction on a ₹24-crore high-level bridge spanning the Then Pennar river, between Agarampallipattu and Thondamanur villages near Thandrampattu town in Tiruvannamalai. This development provides significant relief to approximately 20 surrounding farming villages. The new bridge serves as a replacement for an earlier structure that was dismantled after the Water Resources Department released excessive rainwater from the Sathanur dam due to Cyclone Fani-induced heavy rain in December 2024.

Assistant Engineer (AE), State Highways (Tiruvannamalai), S. Dinesh, revealed that the new bridge's design has been thoroughly revised to accommodate the current water course of the river. The facility is slated to be operational by December 2026. The earlier bridge, operational since September 2024, collapsed three months later.

The new bridge, however, is being constructed 300 meters away from the prior location to maintain alignment with the river. This strategic positioning enhances the bridge's durability. Additionally, the new bridge boasts an increased height of 10 meters from the riverbed, compared to the earlier four-meter height, thereby preventing potential inundation of the carriageway.

The bridge, funded under the Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Programme (CRIDP) 2024-25, will measure 356 meters in length and 12 meters in width, accommodating two buses simultaneously. It will feature tiled footpaths, LED lighting, rainwater discharge inlets into the river, reflectors, signage, and hand railings. Approach roads will facilitate connectivity to nearby villages.

D. Pulivendan, president of Thondamanur village panchayat, expressed optimism, stating that the new bridge will be completed before the Northeast monsoon, ensuring quicker ambulance services and the restoration of bus services in the area. This development will eliminate the need for villagers to traverse a minimum of 30 kilometers to reach nearby towns such as Polur, Arani, Chengam, and Tiruvannamalai.