Submerged causeway over Palar river cuts off 30 Kancheepuram villages, residents demand permanent solution
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued an orange alert for the district, warning of heavy to very heavy rain
Palar River overflowing in Kancheepuram district
CHENNAI: Incessant rainfall in Kancheepuram, exacerbated by Cyclone Montha, has led to the overflowing of Palar River severing a crucial transportation link and leaving residents of over 30 villages stranded and struggling.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued an orange alert for the district, warning of heavy to very heavy rain. As a consequence, the water level in the Palar has risen, with the current discharge recorded at 15,000 cusecs.
The rising waters have completely submerged the low-level causeway (a cement road built across the riverbed) connecting Walajabad to Thriupulivanam and Avalur. As a precautionary measure, traffic on this vital causeway was halted this morning.
This decision has effectively cut off transportation for more than 30 villages, including Tirupulivanam, Avalur, Salavakkam, Kambarajapuram, Thammanur, Ilayanar Veerur, Kalur, and Kavan Thandalam. Students, office-goers, and daily wagers are now forced to take a lengthy 20-km detour on alternative routes to reach Walajabad and other key areas, causing significant hardship and disruption.
“The problem is not new, only the severity is,” lamented a resident from one of the affected villages. “Just a few months ago, this same causeway was repaired at a cost of Rs 1 crore. At that time, we pleaded with the authorities not to just repair it, but to build a high-level bridge instead.”
Frustrated residents opined that a high-level bridge would have kept the causeway functional even during peak flooding, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity. But their repeated demands have fallen on deaf ears.
“For years, every time the Palar swells, we’re isolated. A high-level bridge is the only permanent solution to end this recurring nightmare,” another resident pointed out.
With the northeast monsoon still active, villagers feared that the current transportation crisis was a grim preview of what has become a regular occurrence unless the administration heeded to their long-standing demand for a robust and reliable bridge.