Residents of Kottarappatti village near Thiruverumbur in Tiruchirappalli district have renewed their demand for a bridge across the canal at Thattan Kulam, saying the missing crossing makes access to nearby villages, agricultural fields and the burial ground difficult, particularly during the rainy season.
More than 500 families live in Kottarappatti, which comes under the Pathalapatti panchayat. Residents currently have to cross the canal to reach several essential destinations. When the canal carries substantial water or its banks become muddy, crossing becomes difficult and unsafe, according to a report by Dinamalar.
The access problem became especially visible after the death of a resident, Rajasekar. Villagers reportedly had to carry his body across the Thattan Kulam canal through mud and slush to reach the burial ground. The report said the crossing was extremely difficult because of the prevailing conditions.
Residents said they have faced the problem for several years and are seeking construction of a permanent bridge over the canal. The demand is linked not only to funeral access but also to daily movement between the village, neighbouring settlements and agricultural land.
Seasonal water flows can make informal crossings unreliable, leaving residents dependent on a route that becomes more difficult precisely when access is most needed. The absence of a formal bridge also raises questions about how small rural settlements are connected to public facilities and surrounding habitation under local infrastructure planning.
The residents have asked the authorities to construct a bridge at the Thattan Kulam canal. The report does not specify whether a project has been surveyed, sanctioned or assigned a funding source. No official response or implementation timeline was included in the report.
