Beneath our feet lies more than just concrete and steel. This is the Periyar Bridge. It stands as a silent witness to Chennai’s evolving story. This bridge connects the southern part of The Island with the city’s southern neighborhoods across the Coovum River.
Originally, this was St. George’s Bridge. Its construction dates back to 1805. The East India Company had acquired land near Fort St. George. They used it for salt production. Back then, Madras had the Elambore River. It is now part of Buckingham Canal. The Elambore River and the Cooum River were joined by a channel. This created an island. The land then served military purposes. Bridges were needed to connect the island to the city. Periyar Bridge is one of these crucial links.
Initially, the bridge was the main route to Triplicane from Fort St George. So, it was also known as Triplicane Bridge. But its history is older. Historians believe a bridge stood here between 1715 and 1718. This earlier bridge aimed to connect the Island with Triplicane and Fort St. George with St. Thomas Mount. The original Triplicane Bridge faced disaster. Floods damaged it in 1721. Before repairs could finish, another flood destroyed it.
In 1746, during the French invasion, the English demolished the Triplicane Bridge. Then, in 1805, a new bridge rose. It was on the same site, yet with a different design. This new structure boasted eleven arches. It was a beautiful multi-arch brick masonry bridge. This was St. George’s Bridge. For a brief time, it was also known as Willingdon Bridge.
The bridge we see now isn’t quite the same as the 1805 structure. The Periyar Bridge underwent rebuilding in the 1920s. The bridge got its current name in the late 1970s. It was renamed in honor of E.V.R., a prominent Dravidian political leader. It became Periyar Bridge.
So, next time you cross the Periyar Bridge, remember its journey. From a vital military link to a renamed monument. It has silently watched Chennai grow. It connects not just places, but also eras.