CHENNAI: Municipal Administration and Water Supply Minister KN Nehru will inaugurate the newly constructed Vadaperumbakkam bridge on Monday, built at a cost of Rs 22.41 crore. It’s expected to benefit thousands of residents commuting between Vadaperumbakkam and neighbouring localities to reach Madhavaram.

During the monsoon, the overflow of the Puzhal Surplus Canal had regularly submerged the existing low-level bridge cutting off vehicular movement and causing severe inconvenience to residents. The new bridge is intended to address this long-standing issue.

Corporation Commissioner J Kumaragurubaran said, “All works have been completed. The bridge is 190 metres long and 7.5 metres wide. Around 1 lakh residents of Manali and Madhavaram are expected to benefit from this facility.”

The bridge was built across the canal at Vadaperumbakkam to ensure uninterrupted connectivity during the rainy season. The structure links Ward 17 and Ward 23 in Manali and Madhavaram zones respectively. The project was funded through allocations from the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority and the Greater Chennai Corporation capital fund.

The Corporation stated the project had begun in early 2021 but faced delays due to pandemic-related lockdowns, land acquisition hurdles and the complex relocation of a major desalination pipeline. However, a senior GCC official said, “Work on the Corporation’s portion of the Ezhil Nagar Road overbridge had been completed, but we were waiting for the Railways to finish the wearing coat on their designated bowstring section.”