Are we burning bridges with history now?
KOCHI: On January 10, a portion of the scantily used footpath attached to a nearly 130-year-old iron bridge in Tripunithura collapsed, triggering cries of anguish among residents, scholars and aficionados of Kochi’s history and culture. While the event was incident-free, the visible disintegration of the structure became an impetus for a call to see a wider bridge over the Padinjare puzha. This means demolishing the iron bridge, which, though built in 1890, is, still intact.
The history
“The footpath was built in the ’90s. The bridge was built during the British Raj and is one of the earliest iron bridges in India. It connected Kottakkakom, the stronghold of the erstwhile Cochin royal family, with the rest of the kingdom,” says Balagopal Varma, a member of the royal family and a historian.
The Padinjare puzha formed the western border of the Kottakkakom. “Before the iron bridge, in its place stood a wooden drawbridge and a moat. It was pulled up during evening hours to limit entry,” Balagopal adds.
In recent times, the iron bridge served as a link between Tripunithura and the southwestern regions of Kakkanad and Kochi corporation areas. However, since 2019, only light vehicles have been allowed on the bridge following a report by the Public Works Department (PWD), which pointed out technical limits to strengthening the bridge.
The PWD proposed for a new bridge — 5.5m in height, 11m in width, and with an approach road. The project, estimated to cost Rs 29 crore, entailed acquiring 60 cents of land.
“This was met with opposition. What irked the residents here was that the PWD report was misleading. Many felt the report misquoted a study done by an expert marine structural engineer,” says a person in the know.
What experts say
The study by K V Ramachandran, who has over 35 years of experience as a structural engineer, points out that save for the accumulation of rust at a few places, the bridge was steady and can stay on for at least another 50 years.
“The expert notes: ‘the weight on the bridge has increased over time due to layers of tarring. This needs to be scraped away and redone.’ That’s all. There is really no need for a new bridge,” says K Pradeep, a Tripunithura resident.
The PWD project was later abandoned due to a lack of administrative sanction. But in 2022, Mukkottil Temple Road Residents’ Association (MTRRA) approached the High Court and secured a favourable verdict for a new bridge. Administrative sanction too was given for a revised project of Rs 31 crore.
“Regardless of whether a bridge comes or not, it does not affect Mukkottil road residents. The immediate beneficiaries of a new bridge are the residents of Poonithura. They are in favour of conserving the iron bridge,” says a resident who wishes to remain anonymous.
Heritage symbol
Even without the bridge, there are enough roads around the region to facilitate traffic. “There are several parallel roads and there is no need for heavy traffic on this route. It is not even a bus route. The iron bridge serves two residential neighbourhoods and temple goers. It just needs to be strengthened and conserved. The footpath can be constructed elsewhere,” says Pradeep.
According to him, the new bridge may come up with different alignments and if done diagonally, would not serve templegoers. The PWD is yet to release details of the bridge’s likely alignment.
“Even if they are mulling a new bridge, let the old one remain. It is a living heritage. Even today, it serves an important functional duty,” Balagopal adds. Former mayor and INTACH state convenor K J Sohan seconds this.
“It’s no longer about the bridge. It’s about the larger need for conservation in Tripunithura. Why conserve? It is the road our forefathers travelled on. Without knowing their stories, society cannot go forward. History is invisible and only made apparent by heritage. Tripunithura is a living museum,” says Sohan.