Chennai Officers Training Academy bridge spanning Adyar River nears completion

Chennai: The construction of a bridge spanning the Adyar River to connect two portions of the Officers Training Academy (OTA) campus is 80% complete, said water resources department (WRD) said on Thursday. The high-level reinforced cement concrete bridge is set to replace an existing causeway.

OTA and flood management authorities had flagged concerns of the existing bridge contributing to recurring floods at Chennai airport during the northeast monsoon, as it obstructed the natural flow of the Adyar River. It also blocked access to the OTA’s parade ground during heavy rain.

The project got approval from the southern bench of National Green Tribunal in 2017. Funded by OTA and executed by WRD, construction began before last year’s monsoon and carries an 18-month completion timeline, a senior WRD engineer said.

Pre-stressed girders are currently being fixed. The work is on schedule, and the bridge is expected to be ready before the onset of this year’s northeast monsoon. Inspections and finishing work will continue over the next few weeks, ahead of the formal handover, a senior WRD engineer said.