Footpath attached to over a century-old iron bridge in Thripunithura collapses

A portion of the footpath attached to the more than a century-old iron bridge in Thripunithura collapsed into the Poorna river beneath much to the shock of local residents on Wednesday around 3 p.m.

A portion of the footpath attached to the more than a century-old iron bridge in Thripunithura collapsed into the Poorna river beneath much to the shock of local residents on Wednesday around 3 p.m.

Apart from bringing down the street lights mounted on it, none was injured since the footpath had been sparsely in use for long now. The incident has only vindicated the clamour of the local residents for replacing the fully-rusted old bridge, which was built in 1890, with a new one.

Except for two-wheelers, no other vehicles are being allowed through the bridge since 2019 after a panel of experts from the Kerala Highway Research Institute and the PWD (Design) pointed out the technical limits to strengthening the bridge, which offers crucial links between Thripunithura and Kakkanad and Thripunithura and Corporation areas. Other vehicles headed from Poonithura to Gandhi Square and back now have to take the circuitous route through Pettah or the Thripunithura mini bypass.

The PWD’s proposal in 2019 for a new bridge, with an original estimate of ₹29 crore, had failed to receive administrative sanction (AS) from the government. Following this, the Mukkottil Temple Road Residents Association, Poonithura, had approached the Kerala High Court in 2022 and secured a favourable verdict following which AS was sanctioned. Since then the estimate was revised to ₹31 crore, inclusive of Goods and Services Tax.

“However, the construction of the work was yet to begin. In fact, land acquisition remains to be completed only after which technical sanction will be provided and tender formalities can be initiated. The PWD should construct the bridge at the earliest lest the dilapidated bridge may collapse anytime leading to casualties,” said Roy Thekkan, president of the association.

PWD sources said that survey was under way to acquire 60 cents needed for the construction of the new bridge with a height of 5.50 m and width of 11 m. Approach road is also part of the proposal.

The proposal for replacing the old bridge with a new one, however, was opposed by a section, which batted for its conservation citing its heritage value with the Thrippunithura municipality passing a resolution for conserving it as a heritage monument at the Hill Palace.