Work on Vallakadavu bridge yet to kick off

Fluctuating onshore prices person reportedly delayed the reconstruction of the aged Vallakadavu bridge, a landmark operation that serves arsenic a nexus betwixt the metropolis portion and the seashore arsenic good arsenic the home terminal of the Thiruvananthapuram airport.

In March this year, Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal had informed the State Legislative Assembly that the Finance section had cleared a ₹55.5-crore connection for rebuilding the aged bridge.

Almost 9 months later, enactment is yet to start.

At present, the aged bridge, spanning the TS Canal, is unopen to traffic. Motorists usage the impermanent span built adjacent by. But the second has lone a constrictive transition underneath it for the h2o to flow. Consequently this agelong of the canal is present choked with tonnes of garbage and h2o weeds.

Antony Raju, MLA, who had primitively raised the contented successful the Assembly successful March, told The Hindu that changes successful onshore prices had delayed the acquisition of land. After the archetypal estimates were cleared, prices had gone up.

“We would request ₹5 crore much for acquiring the onshore needed for the attack roads connected the eastbound and occidental sides of the bridge. The connection has been sent to the authorities for clearance,” helium said. “Work tin beryllium started erstwhile the support is given,” helium said.

Though small, the span is simply a captious nexus successful the way to the home terminal of the airport, the Beemapally Dargah Shareef and tourer draws specified arsenic the Shangumugham beach. This is besides the way traditionally taken by the Arattu processions of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple connected their mode to Shangumugham.

Meanwhile, removal of the monolithic quantities of garbage and h2o weeds from nether the 2 bridges besides poses a occupation for the authorities. Mr. Raju said helium had inspected the country on with the ward councillor and different authorities precocious and efforts were connected to find a suitable spot to store the garbage erstwhile it is removed.

“Once the garbage is removed from the canal, we request to store it safely. The Corporation does not person a suitable determination nearby. Once removed, the garbage cannot beryllium stored successful the unfastened owed to the proximity to the airport,” helium said, referring to the anticipation that it could pull birds, posing a menace to aircraft.

Efforts person been taken for rebuilding the bridge, portion of the National Waterway, from 1999 onwards.