Minor crack on Cauvery bridge, say officials after inspection

The crack on the first pillar in the northern side of the Cauvery bridge was noticed by some people, following which the issue was brought to the notice of District Collector K Rajamani.

The Collector then directed the Highways department to inspect the bridge and verify its stability.

Accordingly, the officials led by Divisional Engineer Krishnasamy rushed to the spot and conducted a study on Saturday.

While there was a huge turnout of people on the Cauvery bridge to witness the heavy flow of water, the inspection by officials was kept a secret to prevent panic among the public.

The officials conducted an inspection and confirmed that the crack was minor, and it would not affect the bridge.

They said the Cauvery bridge was constructed without utilising steel rods. The bridge might have sustained a mild crack due to the vibrations caused by the construction of a new bridge near Oyamari.

“We had noticed the problem earlier and wanted to repair the bridge ahead of the Northeast monsoon season. A report has been submitted to the State government. But unexpectedly, the Southwest monsoon rains have lashed Kerala and Karnataka. Since the Cauvery is witnessing a heavy flow of water, the work has been delayed,” said an official, on condition of anonymity.

He also said the repair work would be done once the flow of water subsides.