ALUVA: Amid the controversy over the name and claims and counter-claims of the UDF and the LDF over the ‘right to inaugurate’, the bridge constructed across the Periyar was opened to the public by PWD Minister M Vijayakumar at a function held near Thiruvairanikulam temple on Tuesday.
The bridge connecting Marampilly in Vazhakulam panchayat and Thiruvairanikulam in Sreemoolanagaram panchayat was opened by UDF activists led by T H Musthafa (former Minister) on Monday as a protest since the LDF Government had not consulted T H Musthafa who claims to have contributed immensely to the materialisation of the project while he was Kunnathunad MLA.
The UDF leaders alleged that the LDF Government had even failed to take the local self-governments at Vazhakulam and Sreemoolanagaram into confidence when they decided to inaugurate the bridge. The UDF leaders said that LDF Government was trying to gain political mileage by ignoring the elected representatives of the panchayats on both ends of the bridge. They pointed out that the UDF was in power in both the panchayats. District panchayat members Anwar Sadath (Nedumbassery) and Abdul Muthaleeb (Vazhakulam) of the Congress were the representatives of this area. This would have been the reason for not inviting the elected members for the inaugural function.
Abdul Muthaleeb said that the bridge was the brainchild of T H Musthafa. The then PWD Minister M K Muneer had laid the foundation stone for the bridge. The LDF Government which completed the project has played dirty political games by ignoring T H Musthafa.
Refuting the UDF allegations, M M Monayi, MLA, said that he had personally invited T H Musthafa to deliver the keynote address during the inaugural function. All elected members irrespective of their political affiliations were invited to offer felicitations and this was evident in the invitation card of the inaugural function of the bridge.
Minister Muneer had laid the foundation stone without obtaining administrative sanction (AS) and technical sanction (TS). Muneer was actually cheated and misguided by local UDF leaders by compelling him to lay the foundation stone of a non-existing project.
Minister Jose Thettayil pointed out that his predecessor P J Joy (Congress MLA) had boycotted the foundation stone laying ceremony in protest as he was aware that the action of the minister was illegal.
Monayi and Jose Thettayil worked hard to obtain the AS and TS. The construction of the bridge was expedited under the regular supervision of them. In a democratic set up the ruling government has the right to inaugurate any project. The development projects are like a relay race where the baton will be given to the next runner to finish the race. Inaugurating a project prior to official opening is considered cheap. The ministers of the state were ignored at the Vallarpadam Container Transshipment Terminal opening function. The ministers could have very well inaugurated the project the previous day. But it was indecent in a democracy.
There was a controversy over the name of the bridge. The UDF leaders said it was initially named Sreemoolam Bridge to mark the centenary of king Sreemoolam. But Thettayil changed the name to Sreemoolanagaram bridge.
Thettayil said that the name of the bridge was Sreemoolanagaram in all official documents and in the UDF proposal. He said he had no objection in changing the name to Sreemoolam bridge. The bridge is for the people and the name has no relevance in its functioning.
M M Monayi, MLA, said that he had personally invited T H Musthafa to deliver the keynote address during the inaugural function.