VILLUPURAM: With heavy rains frequenting in the past week, residents and commuters of Yenathimangalam in Villupuram grapple with the fear of the overbridge across the Thenpennai River collapsing anytime. The bridge’s pillars have been eroded due to rampant sand mining in the region and lack of repair works undertaken by the public works department.
Yenathimangalam village has a railway bridge, a check dam, and an overhead bridge. When TNIE visited the area on Sunday, it was found that the basement of the railway bridge had been eroded by at least 15 feet underground, posing a potential danger to the structure. Similarly, the basement of the overbridge, through which hundreds of vehicles run between Villupuram and Yenathimangalam every day, is also damaged.
Adding to the worry of the weak basement of the bridges, the increased chances of the Thenpennai River being flooded, further scare the residents. The flooding possibility persists as the nearby Ellis Chatram check dam has also been damaged in last year’s monsoon and remains unrepaired.
According to sources, last year, the flooding water breached the banks of the Thenpennai River and it affected five villages in the area. Farmlands along the river bank were also damaged. G Kalivardhan, secretary of All Farmers Association, told TNIE, “For the past year, we have been insisting the district administration to repair the check dam, at least temporarily, but to no avail. If heavy rain lashes this year, there will be a major mishap in the region. We demand an immediate resolution.”
The executive engineer of the water resources department in Villupuram told TNIE, “The funds for the repair works of the check dam are almost finalised and the process will begin soon. Also, the bridge structures are stable and there is nothing to be worried of as required precautions have been taken.”