High level bridges will replace the causeways to avoid flooding in Tamil Nadu, according to the Highways and Minor Ports Department Policy Note 2024-2025.
During the monsoon, a huge volume of rainwater flowing over the causeways hinders the free flow of traffic across channels and rivers. As a result, the livelihood of the people in the neighbourhood of such waterbodies and channels get adversely affected.
To alleviate this problem, an announcement during the Budget session 2021-22, was made to the effect ‘that in lieu of existing causeways, High Level Bridges (HLB) will be constructed by the year 2026,’ under “Chief Minister’s All Season Uninterrupted Connectivity Scheme.
During the year 2023-24, 272 causeways have been taken-up for conversion into HLBs under various schemes, at a cost of ₹758.82 crore. Spill-over works of 283 causeways for conversion into HLB have been closely monitored, out of which, 169 causeways have been completed. In the past three financial years, 1113 causeways were taken-up. So far, 795 causeways have been converted into HLBs.