Thadiyampadu causeway to get a new bridge soon

New bridge to replace Thadiyampadu causeway damaged by Idukki dam floods, funded by Union government under Sethu Bandhan project.

The Thadiyampadu causeway (chappath) across the Periyar river and downstream of the Idukki reservoir will soon get a new bridge. The Thadiyampad chappath near Cheruthoni in Idukki had grabbed headlines when the Idukki dam shutters were opened during the August 2018 floods. The floodwater released from the reservoir had destroyed the small causeway connecting Vazhathopu and Mariapuram. The government reconstructed the causeway for ₹5 crore, but it was again damaged after the shutters of the dam were opened in 2022.

According to Idukki MP Dean Kuriakose, the Union government allotted ₹32 crore for the construction of the new bridge under the Sethu Bandhan project. “The government allotted funds from the Central Road Infrastructure Fund (CRIF). The tender process for the new bridge will be completed soon,” said Mr. Kuriakose.

According to Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine, the final alignment of the new bridge has been approved by the Central government. “The proposed bridge is 223 metres long and 12 metres wide. The Bituminous Macadam and Bituminous Concrete (BMCC) tarring will be done on a width of 7 metres on the bridge. Footpath will be constructed with a one-metre width on each side. In addition, 31-metre-long spans are to be fixed in and small spans are to be fixed in the front and last portion of the bridge,” said Mr. Augustine.

National Highway Assistant Executive Engineer Rex Felix said the bridge would be higher than before. “The new bridge will start from the land owned by the Vazhathope panchayat and end in front of the Thadiyampadu Fathima Matha Church. The construction of the new bridge will not disrupt traffic on the existing chappath,” said Mr. Felix.

The Cheruthoni bridge across the Periyar downstream of the Idukki reservoir was the only public infrastructure in the area that did not suffer any damage in the 2018 flood. Houses, shops, and even the bus station were swept away in the floodwaters then. “A new bridge was opened at Cheruthoni in 2024. When a new bridge is completed in Thadiyampadu too, traffic will not be affected even when the shutters of the Idukki dam are opened,” said an official.