THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Finally, the students of Government Cotton Hill HSS can escape the torment of negotiating the heavy traffic in front of the school with the work on foot overbridge nearing completion. The bridge will be opened to the public in two weeks.
The construction of the bridge is being undertaken by a realtor Sun Infrastructure Ltd free of cost. The company is also entrusted with the maintenance of the overbridge.
On Monday, Mayor VK Prasanth reviewed the progress of the construction and expressed satisfaction.
The Corporation has given nod to the company for constructing two-foot overbridges at Vazhuthacaud and Pattom near the St Mary’s HSS. In both the places, the bridges are being set up near schools where thousands of children study.
Though a bridge was also proposed at East Fort, it is still under the consideration of various government departments owing to the difficulty in identifying land at the busy junction.
At Cotton Hill, a vertical garden will also be developed along with the completion of the walkway. The bridges are being constructed and maintained under the public-private-partnership mode and all the cost incurred will be borne by the company.
A failed light
The construction of the overbridge was to be completed before June when the schools reopen. However, it did not happen and the company sought more time for the work. Earlier, the city traffic police had installed a special traffic light near the Cotton Hill School which could be operated by pedestrians waiting to cross the road. But, this had not proved successful.
Pattom faces huge traffic snarl-up during peak hours. The East Fort area, on the other hand, has witnessed a number of accidents involving pedestrians, resulting in the demand for pedestrian-friendly initiatives. A subway is also planned at East Fort under the Smart City project.
A demand for the foot overbridges to ensure safe pedestrian movement in the state capital is at least 15-years-old. Residents’ associations in the city first submitted a petition seeking the facility at least 17 years ago. In the 2009-10 budget, the Corporation had earmarked Rs 1 crore for the construction of overbridges or subways at Medical College Junction, Statue Junction, Cotton Hill Junction and General Hospital Junction.
In the 2010-11 budget, the promise was repeated with a slight change in the locations- - Vazhuthacaud, Sreekaryam, Pattom and Medical College.