Coimbatore: The bridge that connects Lingapuram with other villages in Mettupalayam taluk is on the verge of submerging with the water level in Bhavani Sagar catchment area rising exponentially.The 300m-long bridge connects Lingapuram with Gandhavayal, Mokkamedu, Alur, Melur, Keezhur and other villages. People must go through Lingapuram and cross the bridge to reach other villages. The bridge, built in 2004, is 110feet high. As around 10,000cuesecs of water is being released from Pillur dam, the water level in Bhavani Sagar catchment area rose to more than 107 feet.“There is less than two feet for the water to cover the bridge’s surface as on Wednesday evening. We expect it to submerge the bridge in a day,” said M Ammasaikutti, a farmer from Lingapuram. He said if the bridge gets submerged, the villages on the other side would be cut-off. “People from those villages cannot come to this side. Mainly students will be affected as they have to come to Lingapuram for school. The public will be affected as they cannot access necessary facilities such as hospitals,” said R Thayanithi, a resident of Lingapuram.People would have no other option but to use coracles as in earlier days if the bridge gets submerged, said Ammasaikutti. “Even buses would stop at Lingapuram and wouldn’t go to Gandhavayal if the connecting bridge is cut-off,” he said.Villagers said they had been asking authorities to increase the height of the bridge. “Since the bridge was constructed, we have been asking the officials to increase its height. But nothing has been done in this regard,” said Ammasaikutti.When contacted, an administrative ofsficial from the taluk said they have been inspecting the bridge regularly. “We don’t expect it to get submerged in water. However, as a precautionary measure, we restricted heavy vehicles from using the bridge,” the official said.G Sumathi, an anganwadi teacher from Gandhavayal, said around 200 children from the village had to travel through the bridge to reach schools and colleges. “Also, five teachers have to come to our village to teach in the two elementary schools here. As the water level is almost near the bridge’s surface, they are reluctant to come to the village. If water runs over the bridge, we have to use coracles, which is risky,” she said.

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