The State Highways Department would soon invite bids for the construction of a new bridge across the Koraiyar on Madurai Main Road in the city.
The State government has issued an order granting administrative sanction for the construction of the bridge at an estimated cost of ̥₹23.50 crore, according to sources in the department.
The project was announced by the Highways Minister in the Legislative Assembly during a discussion on the department grants earlier this year.
The Madurai Road is one of the major access route to the Integrated Bus Terminus (IBT) at Panjapur, which was opened recently, from Tiruchi Railway Junction and Central Bus Stand. City residents have been demanding steps to widen the narrow bridge across the river so as to provide an alternative approach road to the IBT, situated off Tiruchi-Madurai National Highway.
The narrow bridge, which could barely accommodate two-way traffic, has emerged as a major bottleneck as a large number of buses operating from the IBT have started going via the road. The road also passes through the thickly populated areas of Crawford and Edamalaipattipudur from Kallukuzhi near the Railway Junction.
