The National Highways Wing of the State Highways Department is likely to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) soon for widening the narrow bridge over the Kondam Vari between Musiri and Manamedu on the Tiruchi-Musiri-Namakkal highway.

A proposal seeking the sanction of ₹40 lakh for preparing a DPR for the construction of an additional two-lane bridge over the drain has been submitted for the Centre’s approval, sources in the department told The Hindu. The new bridge is expected to cost about ₹3 crore, the sources added.

Commuters and local residents have long been demanding the widening of narrow bridge ever since the Musiri-Namakkal State Highway was upgraded as national highway and widened a few years ago. All the narrow bridges along the highway stretch, but for the Kondam Vari bridge, were widened then.

Of the 73-km-long highway stretch between Tiruchi and Namakkal, starting at No. 1 Tollgate in Tiruchi, the Tiruchi-Musiri section is being maintained by the State Highways Department. The remaining stretch is designated as National Highways (381B). The Musiri–Namakkal section was identified as one of the critical corridors, given the heavy volume of traffic, and widened at a cost of ₹206 crore, sanctioned in 2021-22.

The existing two-lane bridge over the Kondam Vari with an S-curve alignment was constructed in 2003. It has three spans and is just 8.60 metres wide. Irrigation shutters maintained by the Water Resources Department is located upstream and the Cauvery bund is situated on the downstream.

Perambalur MP K.N. Arun Nehru recently called on the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and presented a petition seeking the widening of the bridge given “the importance of the highway that connects 12 districts.”

“Given the heavy traffic round-the-clock on this road, the narrow bridge poses a risk of accidents, especially due to the curve in the approach road,” N. Saravanan, a commuter, said and welcomed the move to prepare a DPR for an additional bridge.

Another proposal for widening a four-km stretch on the Musiri-Namakkal section from two to four-lanes with paved shoulders, at an estimated cost of about ₹20 crore, to prevent accidents has been submitted, Highways department sources said.

Published - August 13, 2026 08:58 pm IST