KOCHI: An unplanned, low-height bridge at Thrikkunnapuzha continues to cripple the Alappuzha-Kollam waterway, severely affecting the State Water Transport Department (SWTD), which is unable to resume its popular long-haul service. The department is finding it hard to maintain its fleet in the Kollam region, forcing costly makeshift solutions and threatening the long-term health of the vessels.
The Alappuzha-Kollam waterway, a nearly 80-km-long stretch from the Vembanad lake to the Ashtamudi lake, was once a cherished eight-hour cruise for tourists and locals alike. The trip on a double-decker boat offered breathtaking views and was a significant revenue earner, generating an average of Rs 60,000 daily during peak season. However, this popular trip has been impassable since the reopening of the route after the pandemic, due to the new low-height structure at Thrikkunnapuzha.
What is worrying the authorities now is the delay in the construction of a new bridge with a height of 6.5m at the site as part of the National Waterway-3 (NW-3) project, which will replace the current temporary bridge, having only a height of 1.5m.
“The low bridge has forced us to stop our boat services. Furthermore, we are not even able to bring the vessels deployed at Kollam for repair work at our central boat yard in Alappuzha. We have written to the authorities concerned and the minister, but to no effect,” a senior SWTD official said.
The delay is also affecting the health of the vessels in Kollam as prolonged exposure to saltwater without regular maintenance corrodes them. “Each boat needs to undergo maintenance every six months. Else, the vessels’ bodies would start to corrode in the saltwater,” he pointed out.
The root of the problem lies in the demolition of the old Thrikkunnapuzha bridge. The original bridge, standing at 4.5m high and 4m wide, was demolished in 2018 though it was in perfect condition. This decision was made to meet the NW-3 norms, which stipulate a minimum height of 6.5m for bridges. The panchayat officials and residents were against demolishing the bridge. However, the plan was executed and the irrigation department built a temporary bridge with a mere 1.5m height for pedestrians and light-vehicle crossing.
“The temporary bridge can technically be lifted, but the irrigation department has imposed impractical conditions: a deposit of `2 lakh, and a crane – all while a water pipeline runs through it. Any damage to the structure will be met from the deposit,” the official added.
Meanwhile, the work on the new, permanent bridge, funded by the Union government as part of NW-3, is progressing at a snail’s pace. The work, started in 2018, is still far away from completion, with stakeholders estimating “two more years” for full work.
“The construction work has been progressing at a slow pace. After several delays, a deadline of August 31 was set in a meeting attended by the collector and MLA, which too would be missed. The project cost, initially estimated at Rs 36.53 crore, has now escalated to Rs 41.78 crore. The new bridge is planned at 3.5m higher than the old one, but the crucial approach road work is yet to commence,” said Sudhilal Thrikunnapuzha, block panchayat member.
Currently, only the setting up of three pillars on both sides has been completed. The concreting work at the central part has started. However, the work of raising the height of the approach roads has not yet begun. The impact extends beyond SWTD. People are forced to divert school vans and cars via the bridge near Pallana Kumaranasan Smarakam. “The new bridge is a critical route for evacuation during tsunami threats,” he added.