TIRUCHY: A building constructed about two years ago along a canal branching from River Cauvery in Srirangam’s Melur to perform rituals in obeisance to the dead is yet to be put to use as the public continue to await a bridge over the waterbody to access the facility.
With the city corporation - which had built the karmadhi mandapam – blamed for delaying a promised bridge, the public seek its immediate construction and put an end to the hardships they suffer performing rituals outdoors during the ongoing monsoon season.
Heeding to the requests of the residents and K Lakshmi Devi, the councillor of Ward 1, under which Melur falls, the construction of a karmadhi mandapam in the locality was taken up in the corporation council meeting.
It was pointed out that the Cauvery banks often became flooded and turned muddy during rainy season, posing difficulties for the public to perform rituals for their departed ones.
Following this, the corporation obtained permission from the public works department (PWD) to build a karmadhi mandapam at Sembada Theru, along the river canal as no vacant land was found available within Melur. Using up Rs 11.6 lakh from the general fund, the civic body completed the facility comprising also two rooms and a dining area in 2023.
With the canal running through separating the karmadhi mandapam from the main road, residents have been unable to access the facility without a bridge. Councillor Devi said the corporation officials had initially promised construction of the bridge upon completion of the karmadhi mandapam. However, they are yet to act on it citing a shortage of funds, she claimed.
Mentioning the karmadhi mandapam even having secured an electricity connection, Devi said, “All our efforts, however, went in vain as there is no access road or bridge. Even the corporation mayor inspected the site after I raised the issue but no progress has been made so far.”
“Residents keep asking me about the delay but I have no answer for them. It is painful to see a building lying unused for two years while people continue to struggle to perform rituals on the riverbanks under difficult conditions,” she added. Although a bridge is located about 100 metres away from the karmadhi mandapam, sources said it cannot be used to access the corporation facility as it leads to a temple.
Therefore, residents are discouraged from using it, they added. A Giridhar, a local resident, said, “Although the building (mandapam) has been completed, it is of no use without access. This year, the rains have started again, and we hope the authorities will take steps soon to make the building usable.”
When contacted, a senior corporation official said that they have requested the PWD to issue an NOC for construction of a bridge to the karmadhi mandapam. “Once the approval is received, we will construct the bridge,” the official added.