Palarivattom flyover reopens after reconstruction, CM Pinarayi thanks workers

A few days ago, BJP’s Kerala President K Surendran credited ‘Metroman’ E Sreedharan for ensuring the reconstruction of the Palarivattom flyover.
Workers , who constructed Palarivattom flyover of Kerala's Kochi, posing for a group photo sitting on the flyover when it was reopened
Workers , who constructed Palarivattom flyover of Kerala's Kochi, posing for a group photo sitting on the flyover when it was reopened
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“Who built the seven gates of Thebes? 

The books are filled with names of kings. 

Was it the kings who hauled the craggy blocks of stone?” 

These are the words of noted revolutionary German poet and playwright Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht. The opening lines of his poem ‘A Worker Reads History’ was used by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in his recent Facebook post about the Palarivattom flyover's reopening in Kerala. The Chief Minister posted these lines to hail the hardwork of scores of labourers who completed Kochi’s Palarivattom flyover within a stipulated deadline.

The Palarivattom flyover in Kochi is finally open to the public again. The flyover was closed in May 2019 as the structure started developing major cracks within two years of its first opening in 2016. The Palarivattom flyover was closed for reconstruction after inspection while an investigation into the infrastructural failure revealed major corruption involving several officials and former Kerala Public Works Department Minister Ebrahim Kunju. 

The reconstruction work for the Palarivattom flyover began in September 2020 and was completed within six months. Since the model code of conduct (MCC) is in effect ahead of the 2021 Kerala Assembly election, there was no formal inauguration of the flyover. However, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan took to Facebook to thank the labourers for their efforts in completing the reconstruction within a short span of time.  

“It is not kings nor administrators who are the heirs of the achievements of mankind. Rather, it is the labourers who have shed their sweat and blood. History has often ignored this truth,” Pinarayi Vijayan wrote on Facebook, sharing the picture of the labourers on the reopened Palarivattom flyover.

The CM’s Facebook post was reportedly a political dig at BJP. At a recent BJP election rally, party state president K Surendran had credited ‘Metroman’ E Sreedharan for ensuring the construction of the Palarivattom flyover. Surendran’s statement came days after Sreedharan joined the BJP. 

Incidentally, the flyover’s reconstruction was carried out by Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society (ULCCS) Limited, a cooperative society associated with CPI(M), and supervised by E Sreedharan, who was the Principal Advisor of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). It was based on E Sreedharan’s recommendation that in 2019, the Kerala government had decided to go ahead with the reconstruction of the Palarivattom flyover.  

“We have achieved many things in this tenure. We have implemented major projects, which we thought would be difficult. But all this was realised not just because of the will-power of the government but also due to the dedicated hard work of scores of labourers who considered this as their dream too,” CM Pinarayi wrote.

“Though initially it was estimated that it would take 18 months for the completion of works, it was finished in six months and that is due to the dedication of scores of workers,” Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said, adding, “It is to them we are indebted.” 

“Heartfelt thanks to each and every labourer to fulfil the projects dreamt by the government for the development of this land. Your strength and your sacrifice is Kerala’s surety. There is a lot more to gain, will go forward together,” CM adds.

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