KOCHI: On November 20, MLA K J Maxy announced that re-surfacing work on the Thoppumpady Harbour Bridge would begin the next day. The task was to take just over a week, with the bridge set to be reopened for traffic on November 29. But the schedule has proved to be mere promise, say motorists and commuters who use the bridge.
“The bridge has been closed off for eight days, but apart from work to scrape off the old tar, nothing else has been done,” says Jacob Antony, a social activist and resident of Thoppumpady. He points out that the absence of machinery at the site raises question as to whether the work will begin anytime soon. “What amount of time is needed to repair a 500m stretch in this era when you have modern machinery at your disposal?” he asked.
With the bridge out of service, commuting to and from the mainland has become a big issue. “Even when the bridge was in use, Thoppumpady and surrounding areas used to experience a heavy traffic every morning and evening,” he said.
With the closure of the Harbour Bridge, traffic congestion in the area has become very severe. “This has also increased crowding on the parallel roads and byroads,” he said. “Ambulances ferrying patients are facing a lot of difficulties,” he added.
Travelling via Vypeen is not a solution, Jacob says. “This involves a big detour. If the vehicles that used to depend on Harbour Bridge start taking the Vypeen route, the Ro-Ro boat jetty area will see a surge of vehicles,” he added. Commuters also rule out using the narrow SH Thevara road.
The only option then for motorists and commuters is the BOT bridge. “However, that too isn’t a solution. The increase in the number of vehicles using the BOT bridge has caused gridlock. We had notified the PWD about the bad surface condition of Harbour Bridge way back. The problem was then limited to small potholes. Due to PWD apathy, these developed into large craters. The rains added to the woes,” he said.
Residents are demanding that the tarring of the bridge begin as soon as possible. There is also a demand that non-passenger vehicles be prevented from using the bridge during rush hours.
