PIRAVOM: To cater to the development initiated in Kochi city, the new bridge across Muvattupuzha River connecting Kakkad in Piravom Panchayat and Nechoorkadavu in Maneed Panchayat is in its final stage. The construction of the last span of the bridge began on Thursday. The local people said that the bridge will bring the development initiated by the Smart City project to the eastern parts of the district. The Kakkad Nechoorkadavu bridge construction began in 2005 with an estimated cost of `5 crore. The 152-metre-long bridge is 7.5 metres wide with footpaths on both sides. A 300-metre approach road will be constructed on both ends of the bridge. The construction of the bridge was delayed for more than two years due to certain technical problems, said PWD Assistant Engineer S Hareesh. In the original project the department planned to construct ring type pillars for the bridge. But at the time of construction one of these pillars leaned. As a result, the work was delayed by two years, said the AE.
The department redesigned the other two pillars to the pile type construction and submitted it to the government for approval. However, after two years, the price of cement and steel had increased and the contractor demanded revision of the estimate. But the government was not willing to revise the estimate and cancelled the contract.
The government recalled the tender and began the pending work in April 2010. Once the bridge is complete, it will connect Koothattukulam and Kochi city. The vehicles can divert at Onakoor from the Nadakav-Koothattukulam highway and reach Mamala through NH 49. If the existing road is widened to the specifics of a highway, it will be helpful for the public, said M K Daniel, a resident of Kakkad.
A bypass will be constructed to the Seaport Airport Road from Mamala and it will provide easy access to the Nedumbassery Airport passengers, he said. In the new proposed bypass, the passengers can save more than eight km from Koothattukulam to Ernakulam and avoid congestion in Piravom, Mulamthuruthy and Tripunithura towns.