KOCHI: The work regarding the construction of the bridge parallel to the Sree Sankara bridge at Kalady is progressing. On Monday, the district administration informed that the landowners along the stretch that has been identified for the construction of the bridge will be given fair compensation if they give up their land.
According to the district collector N K S Umesh, the officials have been directed to complete the steps related to the construction of the bridge by September 30. “The government has directed that the construction works should be completed on time to avoid delays,” he said.
The land acquisition process is being carried out under the new Land Acquisition Act of 2013. When the MLAs put forth the concerns raised by the land owners regarding compensation, the district collector assured that a fair price will be provided by determining the area lost to each person. During the meeting, it was also decided to hold a public hearing to address the landowner’s concerns.
In April this year, the Minister for Public Works, P A Mohamed Riyas, said that the new bridge across the Periyar River at Kalady will be completed by 2024. The new bridge is being built parallel to the Kalady Sree Sankara bridge on the MC Road connecting Angamaly and Perumbavoor. The total length of the new bridge is 455.40 metres. There will be 12 spans of 30.50-metre length, two spans of 13.45-metre length and five spans of 12.50-metre length.
The bridge’s width is 14 metres and includes a 10.50-metre carriageway and a 1.50-metre-wide footpath on both sides. The Sree Sankara Bridge, which was constructed in 1963, is in a dilapidated condition. The new bridge is expected to solve the issue of heavy traffic congestion on the route.