KOCHI: With one month to be completed on Wednesday since the dismantling of the crack-ridden Palarivattom flyover began, the officials concerned said the work is progressing as per the plan and the reconstruction of the structure will be completed within the stipulated deadline. The officials of Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society Ltd (ULCCS), the contractors of the reconstruction work, said that, till Monday, five spans of the bridge have been dismantled.“The work is progressing as per schedule. We are optimistic of completing the dismantling of the faulty structure in three-and-a-half months. The reconstruction will take another four months,” said an official with ULCCS.
He said that, after dismantling of the spans is completed, the next step will be the installation of concrete beams. The officials of DMRC, which is carrying out the work, are monitoring the entire process. Principal adviser of DMRC E Sreedharan is directly supervising the work and is giving necessary advice to the team to ensure that the work is done effectively. Nearly 40 per cent of the flyover would have to be dismantled before taking up the reconstruction work. The reconstruction is expected to be completed in another four months. As per schedule, the entire work has to be completed in eight months.
The 442-m-long Palarivattom flyover with 308-m-long approach roads was opened for traffic in 2016. However, a year after its commissioning, cracks were detected in the structure, including the girders. The actual work which began in September 2014 during the tenure of then UDF Government came under the scanner and a Vigilance probe was launched against the contractors and then Works Minister V K Ibrahim Kunju. The total estimated cost was `42 crore and the bridge was closed 17 months after its commissioning. Termed as the bridge of controversies, the structure, after the intervention of the court, was later suggested to be dismantled. The DMRC was brought in as the implementing agency of the work. The dismantling works began on September 28.
Traffic diversion
The movement of vehicles through the busy NH on both sides of the flyover was left undisturbed by the new diversion. “They have opened temporary U-turn facilities on both the ends of the flyover to help vehicles coming from Pipeline Road and Kakkanad. It is very convenient now. Otherwise, the vehicles coming from Palarivattom to Kakkanad will have to go straight up to the U-turn near Oberon Mall,” said K A Albin, an autorickshaw driver of Chembumukku. The smooth diversion of traffic has ensured that there is no congestion in the area.