Dr Gurusamy Bridge: A touch of the trowel and a stroke of the brush should do the trick

Dr Gurusamy Bridge, which is under the care of Greater Chennai Corporation’s watch, connects EVR Periyar Road and McNichols Road in Chetpet, can do more with some improvement work

Dr Gurusamy Bridge, which is under Greater Chennai Corporation’s watch, connects EVR Periyar Road and McNichols Road in Chetpet.

At the summit, the southern pavement at this bridge breaks out in a rash. An uneven mass sits on the approach to the summit, and it comes with the hint of bitumen. Apart from couple of other patches approaching similar unseemliness and a few bald spots (the tiles having bid goodbye to them), the pavements on Dr Gurusamy bridge do not make for an uncomfortable walk.

While these faults have to be addressed and the sidewalls provided with more colour and character, the larger focus should be on the concrete staircases leading up and down the bridge.

Anyone who traipses up and down old bridges just to know how the pavements attached to them feel under their feet would be struck by a leitmotif.

These bridges usually get off to a lacklustre start. The first steps down a majority of these bridges are usually unremarkable, with a couple of things broken down or displaying other signs of neglect.

Dr Gurusamy bridge in Chetpet falls in this category of old bridges. Operating without a paved surface, let along tiles, the first portion of the pavement on the southern side (as one comes from the Harrington Road-Spurtank Road junction and down McNichols Road) does not place it in a flattering light.

A short flight of steps displays tiles that ought to be replaced. Clearly, the southern pavement of this bridge is missing out on the advantage of powerful first impressions.