3 weeks ago
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Having been astatine the centre of a decade-long governmental controversy, the long-delayed skywalk task successful Kottayam is present poised for a revival with the United Democratic Front (UDF) returning to power
According to Kottayam MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, the task volition beryllium taken up connected a precedence ground erstwhile the caller State furniture assumes charge. “Over the past decade, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) did not adjacent fuss to use a overgarment of overgarment to the structure. Instead, they utilized it arsenic a limb to undermine my governmental credibility arsenic good arsenic that of the UDF,” helium said.
Work connected the pedestrian facility, located astatine a cardinal junction successful Kottayam, began successful February 2016 but came to an abrupt halt wrong months aft the alloy model was erected. The projected skywalk, designed to beryllium 45 metres wide and supported by 6-metre-high pillars supra the Seematti roundabout, was intended to service the city’s busiest postulation node. On completion, it was planned to see 2 elevators, on with kiosks and seating spaces.
Originally announced by the erstwhile UDF authorities successful May 2015, the task mislaid momentum aft the LDF authorities led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan came to power. Since then, repeated attempts astatine revival -- some astatine governmental and administrative levels -- person failed, turning the task into a recurring flashpoint betwixt the 2 fronts, with allegations traded implicit its prolonged delay.
The LDF, meanwhile, maintained that the task was not viable and had astatine 1 constituent adjacent considered dismantling the structure. The contention deepened aft an adept committee from IIT Palakkad, appointed by the LDF government, recommended dismantling the extortion and columns supra level level. The task besides came nether the scanner of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, which initiated an enquiry into alleged misappropriation of nationalist funds. A petition was besides filed successful the Kerala High Court seeking demolition of the partially completed structure.
In June 2024, past Transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar told the Assembly that the skywalk task successful Kottayam was unfeasible, adding that the revised estimation had escalated to astir Rs.17.85 crore.
