Bridge built at 424 crore in Namakkal develops cracks hours after chief minister opens it for public
Namakkal: Hours after chief minister M K Stalin virtually opened the new bridge constructed at a cost of Rs424 crore at Pallipalayam here on Thursday for the public use, cracks developed on it at several places, raising questions on the quality of construction and possible corruption.
Constructed by the state govt's highways and minor ports department, the bridge is part of the Kanyakumari-Chennai Industrial Project.
Bhoomi puja for the project was held four years ago by the then AIADMK govt led by Edappadi K Palaniswami. The construction was paused for a few months because of lack of funds. When the issue was brought to Stalin's attention, he ensured that sufficient funds, along with additional resources for the project, were allotted to resume the construction work.
After the inaugural ceremony, a function was held at Pallipalayam that saw the participation of adi dravidar welfare minister Dr Mathiventhan, Namakkal district collector S Uma, Erode MP Prakash, Namakkal MP Matheswaran and other public representatives. Within hours of its opening, the public reported cracks on the bridge.
When questioned about the issue, minister Mathiventhan said the state govt had spent a substantial amount on the bridge and that it was not at any risk of damage.
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"A significant number of vehicles are currently using the bridge. If at all it develops any damage, the same will be promptly inspected and repaired."
PMK leader Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, meanwhile, called for a probe into possible corruption in the project. He said it was the govt's responsibility to oversee the construction work and guarantee quality, especially when the bridge was built with funding from international banks.
He said the residents of Pallipalayam had raised various irregularities during the bridge construction work and those allegations could not be overlooked.
Anbumani said the quality of bridges and roads constructed after the DMK formed govt in the state was questionable.
"The bridge built across Thenpennai river near Thandarampattu in Tiruvannamalai district at a cost of Rs15.9 crore was washed away by floods within three months of its inauguration.
The govt evaded accountability by attributing the incident to the water release from Sathanur dam."
Collector S Uma, who examined the bridge after complaints of cracks, said reports of damage were false. "Prior to the inauguration, a load test of 150 tonnes was carried out in February to evaluate the bridge's quality and stability. The findings confirmed that the bridge meets all safety standards," she said.
In a statement on Thursday, the state highways and minor ports dept said there was a deliberate attempt to defame the govt by spreading false information. "The bridge has met all safety standards and the contractor is obliged to carry out maintenance for seven years,'' said the statement.
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