New High-Level Bridge to Replace Flood-Prone Causeway at Padi Kuppam

A new high-level bridge is coming up at Padi Kuppam near Rail Nagar to ensure year-round connectivity between Poonamallee High Road and Mogappair–long-awaited infrastructure upgrades for the same.

According to officials of the Highways Department, groundwork is currently in process as the contractor is now creating a diversion road to dismantle the existing causeway. This project is going to be worth 20.7 crore and is likely to be completed in the next 18 months as it will be held up because of delays due to the forthcoming northeast monsoon.

Sri, it will expanse over 91 sqm and an all-weather alignment of traffic flow roads, whereby it will appear 7.5 m wide of the carriageway, with each 1.5 m footpath on either side. The existing causeway measures 63 m long, and 5.5 m wide and is designed for two lanes but indeed suffers from high flooding whenever the Cooum River overflows, mainly rains (rainy seasons).

“This bridge doesn’t just represent an upgrade in size-it will contribute to all-weather connectivity,” said a senior engineer from the Highways Department. “We are also building a 12-meters-wide approach road to STATE HIGHWAY standards to ensure good traffic flow.”

The residents of Padi Kuppam, Rail Nagar, and Sathya Sai Nagar would heave a sigh of relief after long flooding had been draining life off the causeway. Damaged during the 2015 floods, repaired, and inaugurated for public use, the causeway would still be unreliable during heavy rain.

“If the causeway is under water, we take a detour through Nolambur bridge through narrow, crowded roads to enter Poonamallee High Road,” said R. Chandrasekar of Rail Nagar.”This is a long overdue demand of the community.”

Padi Kuppam Road and Rail Nagar Road are under the Greater Chennai Corporation. But the bridge and approach road works are handled by the Highways Department because it has a link with the arterial network.

Upon completion of the construction of the bridge, it will ensure relief from traffic congestion and drastic improvement in connectivity, while it provides a more secure route for vehicles and pedestrians as well in this rapidly growing residential corridor.