Road to Dhanushkodi to be completed before this year end

Dhanushkodi, an holy destination for pilgrims and tourists at the south-eastern tip of Pamban Island in Tamil Nadu, will get a good road before the end of this year.
The road which was devoured by the cyclonic storm in 1964, was being freshly paved by the Highways Authorities from Mukundharayar Chattiram to Dhanushkodi, which is considered the "Athi Sethu" (the ancient Sethu Samuthiram).
Presently the pilgrims were visiting the holy place by taking four-wheel driven vehicles, as they had to drive through sand dunes.
It was believed that the visit to Rameswaram would not be completed unless the go to Dandhukodi also.

Government had last year sanctioned Rs 50 crore for the project, A Arjunan Chairman of Rameswaram Municipality told PTI.
According to Balamurugan,Chief engineer of National High ways, the four-km stretch from Mukundharayar Chattiram had been completed and the second phase stretching till Arichalmunai was expected to be completed before the end of this year.

He said they wanted to complete the entire stretch as early as possible as the consecration of Sri Ramanthaswamy temple, which would attract lakhs of pilgrim from allover the country, was expected to be held by the year end.
Dhanushkodi was a commercial centre since 1914,as the British operated goods ferry from Dhanushkodi to Talaimannar. The entire Dhanushkodi was swept by tidal waves in 1964,after which both road and rail link to the town got disconnected.

Though a road was laid in 1975,due to poor quality,the road did not last long.Since then the Pilgrims and the local body officials had been demanding to lay a good road to Dhanushkodi.
The centre had suggested to get the approval of the IIT madras for the project, as it wanted the road to last long in the saline atmosphere and sea erosion.
Officials said the road would fulfil the dream of thousands of pilgrims coming daily to the holy island to visit and take bath in the sea off Dhanushkodi.