NHAI to widen two road bridges across Panguni, Peruvalai canals

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will soon widen two minor road bridges across Pallividai Peruvalai and Panguni irrigation canals between No.1 Tollgate and Samayapuram on Tiruchi-Padalur section of Tiruchi-Chennai National Highway.

The two bridges on the Trichy-Chennai national highway near Samayapuram temple are posing a risk to the lives of devotees who reach the shrine on foot. The wide highway becomes narrow on the bridges built over the two irrigation canals.

The Trichy-Chennai national highway was widened by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) about two decades ago, and most of the minor bridges and culverts were also widened along with it. Around seven minor bridges that were not widened were also taken up for a special widening project recently to ensure the safety of road users.

 However, two minor bridges built across the Pallividai Peruvalai canal and the Panguni canal situated close to the Arulmigu Samayapuram Mariamman temple are still narrow compared to the width of the NH. While the same bridges on the other side of the highway (Chennai to Trichy) were widened, the bridges on the Trichy to Chennai side were not reconstructed.

As per reports, the narrow bridges were situated on a carriageway on the section and the other carriageway had three-lane bridges. The existing narrow bridges towards Padalur would be widened into three-lane bridges. Estimates for the project would be prepared soon and sent for approval.