THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The foot overbridge at East Fort is likely to be opened on June 15 as the work on the skywalk is nearing completion. According to corporation officials, only minor works are pending as part of beautification and it can be opened on June 15 if the chief minister is available to attend the function. “Since the chief minister is set to inaugurate the skywalk, we have to ensure his availability. June 15 is a tentative date and it may change. We are working on fixing the schedule of commissioning the foot overbridge,” said a top official of the city corporation.
Started in 2019 as a public-private-partnership project involving the city corporation and Thiruvananthapuram-based Axo Engineers (P) Ltd, the L-shaped bridge has been designed in the shape of a fort as part of heritage conservation, and is equipped with elevators for the elderly and people with disabilities. It is being built at a cost of Rs 4 crore as part of corporate social responsibility (CSR) scheme.
Former works minister G Sudhakaran had launched the Rs 2.75-crore project in June 2019, and the work was expected to be completed in March 2020. However, the pandemic and the design concerns raised by the archaeology department delayed the project. It may be recalled that 16 deaths occurred at East Fort over the past three years due to heavy traffic on the stretch and lack of a proper walkway.
The foot overbridge will have art works highlighting the heritage aspects of Thiruvananthapuram and East Fort. There is also a section displaying paintings of prominent people who were born and brought up in Thiruvananthapuram.
The sophisticated skywalk starts from Gandhi Park and includes parking bays for buses plying on Kovalam route. It will also have dedicated advertising spaces, including a 600 sq ft LED screen, said to be one of south India’s largest.
City residents, meanwhile, are eagerly awaiting its inauguration as the commissioning of foot overbridges at Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Cotton Hill, and St Mary’s Higher Secondary School in Pattom had brought huge relief to pedestrians.
Project highlights
Project cost is Rs 4 crore
Longest (102m) foot overbridge
35 CCTV units and a police aid post
Paintings of prominent people
Pictures of tourist spots and a selfie corner
A 600 sqft HD LED wall