New bridge across Kaundinya river; road in Gudiyatham town inaugurated

Minister inaugurates causeway bridge and road projects in Gudiyatham to prevent flooding and improve connectivity in the district.

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Minister for Water Resources Duraimurugan inaugurated a ₹13.70 crore causeway with vents across Kaundinya river, a tributary of Palar, in Gudiyatham on Friday. The bridge aims to be free of flooding during monsoon and help adjoining villages access key towns in the district.

He was accompanied by Vellore Collector V.R. Subbulaxmi and senior officials of the Water Resources Department (WRD), which executed the work.

The minister also inaugurated the ₹30.10 crore bitumen-surfaced road between Thalayatham village and Sempalli village on the river bund.

“The causeway can be used even during monsoon as the new facility is designed to avoid flooding especially during heavy flow in the river,” S. Kalipriyan, WRD Assistant Engineer (Gudiyatham), told The Hindu, adding that all the works would be completed by the end of December.

The causeway is built across the river from Gangaiamman temple to Gudiyatham town. The bridge is 165 metres long and nine metres wide. With 17 vents, it can discharge 59,000 cusecs of excess rainwater per minute.

WRD officials said that such high discharge of rainwater below the new bridge would prevent flooding of the facility and can be accessed by motorists including ambulances round-the-clock.