To ensure the safety of pedestrians, school and college students, and officegoers, heavy vehicles will not be allowed to ply on the Thirumukkudal bridge across the Palar River in Kancheepuram district during peak hours.
A decision to this effect was taken during a meeting of residents, quarry owners, and the police, where the need for proper lighting was also emphasised. Trucks will not be allowed on the bridge between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., and then from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. At least 300 trucks use the bridge daily.
Salavakkam Inspector T. Balachandran, who listened to the concerns of various stakeholders, said that requests for barricades at road turns had already been implemented. “If trucks are found speeding or carrying additional weight, we have told quarry owners that the police will not hesitate to collect fines of ₹1 lakh,” he said.
The long bridge, notorious for deaths caused by taurus vehicles from nearby stone quarries, has no lighting, making things more difficult for commuters. Residents had staged a protest last week after the death of a 34-year-old mason, S. Sakthivel, who was run over by a truck.
“Almost immediately after the death, we refused to allow heavy vehicles carrying M-sand and blue metal from local quarries and crushing units. We have been fighting for a solution for the traffic issues in this area caused by the quarries. The drivers are unruly and do not follow traffic rules,” alleged Harikrishnan, a resident.
Kothandaraman, who owns a quarry, said that quarry owners had agreed to install solar-powered lights on the bridge within a month. “We will also lay about 3 km of roads that have been damaged. The quarry owners have decided to clean the bridge on a regular basis and ensure that the trucks are covered with tarpaulins to prevent dust from flying,” he said.
Published – December 03, 2025 11:14 am IST
