Padappai Bridge Delay Hampers Oragadam’s Industrial Growth

Businesses operating in the Oragadam industrial corridor are severely crippled due to the long-pending construction of the Padappai bridge. Frustrated by the three-year delay, the top automobile and cold chain industry leaders have banded together to appeal to the government to take immediate action. Those that signed the list of common demands include Apollo Tyres, Danfoss Industries, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, Eicher Motors, and Renault-Nissan Automotive India.

In a petition filed with the Kanchipuram district Collector, these industry giants pointed out that the incomplete flyover was severely affecting their financial position. They have called for immediate action given losses running into crores every month due to the infrastructure crisis.

A copy of the letter dated January 20, 2025, accessed by DT Next, shows how the companies’ concerns are mounting. It says, “Representatives of various major Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in Oragadam, along with our employees, rely on 450 company-operated buses running across four shifts daily in this region. The incomplete bridge has created a major bottleneck, resulting in severe and prolonged traffic congestion. In addition, the decaying road condition is aggravating the situation, creating safety hazards and making everyday travel a headache.”

The petition highlights the production efficiency impact of the delays, asserting that over the past two months, it has directly affected the manufacturing targets that the respective companies could have achieved without the delays in infrastructure. It is more than an inconvenience; it is a major bottleneck at the point where regional industry expansion has reached a critical stage.

Industry representatives are emphasizing that resolving the Padappai bridge issue is crucial for Oragadam’s reputation as a thriving manufacturing hub. Since business houses already have problems with logistics in the supply chain, any further delay may have long-term repercussions on industrial productivity and investor confidence.

The respective companies are now waiting to hear from the authorities, which is hoped would expedite the construction of infrastructure and stop further losses accruing to them. Till then, the growth of Oragadam’s industries is braked by this unfinished infrastructure.