Tipplers bridge across interstate river closed

CUDDALORE: A wooden bridge across the Pennai river constructed by Puducherry wine shop owners to allow tipplers to reach their shops has landed them in trouble as PWD officials issued a notice, on Wednesday, for them to dismantle it within two days.The river separates a Tamil Nadu village, Velisemmandalam, and a Puducherry village, Aaraichikuppam. This close proximity has allowed tipplers from Tamil Nadu to cross the shallow river and buy alcohol from the three wine shops situated in Aaraichikuppam. Due to the recent spate of rains, water flow in the river had increased making it difficult to wade across. Though some enthusiastic people walked through the river water to reach wine shops, many others were left in the lurch and consequently, sales in the shops had decreased considerably.To solve this problem, wine shop owners came up with the idea of constructing a wooden bridge across the river. Once constructed it became very popular and many people from Tamil Nadu began using it.The matter came to notice of PWD department in Cuddalore and it issued a notice to the wine shop owners to dismantle the bridge within two days. They claimed that the bridge was constructed without their permission. To make their stand clear, the department, on Wednesday, blocked one end of the bridge using trees and branches.