The Kerala government has announced that the Palarivattom flyover in Kochi will be demolished and reconstructed within eight months. To expedite the project, the state has roped in Metro Man and former Delhi Metro Rail Managing Director, E Sreedharan to oversee the project execution.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan spoke to Sreedharan on Wednesday where the latter informed the CM that the project can be completed within 8 months. The Chief Minister told media that recovering the cost of the project from the company that built the faulty bridge will be decided by the court. Sreedharan was part of the team of experts from IIT-Madras that had earlier recommended for the bridge to be demolished owing to poor construction quality.
The bridge, which was constructed during the previous United Democratic Front government rule, had broken due to poor construction. The Kerala High Court had paused permission to demolish and reconstruct the flyover until a weight test was conducted. However, the state government had argued that even if the flyover was renovated, it cannot be used for more than 20 years as the construction quality was very poor. The Supreme Court finally gave permission to the state to demolish and build a new bridge on September 21.
Road Projects
Kerala Chief Minister also announced that the state was going to witness "massive development in terms of road infrastructure" with several projects being launched as part of the Rebuild Kerala Programme.
"This government is moving forward with quality assurance, use of new technology and a corruption-free regime for road construction. It is a great achievement for the LDF government that we have been able to free the public works sector from political corruption," he claimed.
Pinarayi said that Konkan Railway Corporation has been appointed as the special purpose company for the Kozhikode-Wayanad tunnel road project.
An alternative route from Kozhikode to Wayanad has been a long-pending demand as the current connectivity through Thamarassery Pass becomes 'unnavigable' at many times due to natural calamities and traffic jams.
"The solution is to build a 7.82 km long tunnel road from Anakampoil to Meppadi via Kalladi. The length of the tunnel will be 6.9 km. Rs. 658 crores have been sanctioned for the project with funding from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB)," he told reporters.
Konkan Railway Corporation, which has proven expertise in tunnel construction, would submit a detailed project report (DPR) after the necessary studies, he said adding that the government would initiate the next step based on the DPR.
He also said that a project of Rs 625 crore has been prepared to upgrade Alappuzha - Changanassery Road (AC Road), which is the lifeline of the people in Kuttanad area.
The AC Road connecting Alappuzha and Kottayam districts is usually submerged in water every year during monsoons.
"Overbridges will be built at five of the most waterlogged locations. Causeways will be built at nine locations. Narrow bridges will be widened and 13 culverts will be rebuilt. The proposed route will also have facilities to make night travel safer," Pinarayi said.
The Chief Minister also informed that the Alappuzha bypass, which is being constructed at a cost of Rs 225 crore, will be completed by November while the Kundannur (780 m) and Vyttila (700 m) flyovers being built on the Ernakulam bypass, will be open to traffic in December.
The Kundannur flyover will cost Rs 88.77 crore and the Vyttila flyover Rs 113 crore, he said.
An administrative sanction of Rs 225 crore had been given for the modernisation of major roads and allied roads going to Sabarimala and the work would begin next month, he said.
(With PTI Inputs)