KOCHI: The recent proposal to demolish the nearly 130-year-old iron bridge over the Padinjare puzha in Tripunithura to make way for a modern, wider structure has landed the public works department (PWD) in a rather murky puddle.
Residents, experts and historians have voiced stiff opposition to the Rs 30-crore move, which they say is not only needless but also insensitive to the cultural and historical underpinnings that form the basis of the structure and its setting.
Built in 1890, it is one of the earliest iron bridges in the country. “It is older than the Howrah bridge in Kolkata,” says Biley Menon, co-convenor of the Cochin chapter of Intach.
In its erstwhile days, the bridge connected Kottakkakom, the stronghold of the Cochin royal family, with the rest of the kingdom. As one of the last few heritage structures to have survived intact from the 19th century, the bridge facilitates an invaluable avenue to understand the history of steel use in construction and the evolution of trade in the former Cochin state.
To a question posed by TNIE, a PWD official cited three reasons for the controversial move to demolish the bridge and build a new one in its place:
‘Structure is weak’
The department has come to this conclusion by misrepresenting a report prepared by a marine structural engineer, said a person in the know. According to the original report, which TNIE is in possession of, its author, M V Ramachandran, taking cognisance of the bridge’s cultural and historical significance, is crystal clear in recommending that it be preserved as a heritage structure by taking up necessary repairs and modifications.
Given that the bridge was built for the passage of royal horse carriages, Ramachandran suggests that it only be used for the movement of light motor vehicles. “With minimal cost and work, the bridge can stay for another 25-30 years,” his note reads.
‘Will facilitate boat services’
A PWD official said Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) plans to operate boat services through the channel, and the new 5.5m high bridge will facilitate the plan.
However, a study of KMRL’s detailed project report (DPR) reveals that there are no proposals to use this section of the water body. “There is a water metro route planned for Thykoodam, which will connect Vyttila. But the boats will take the Chambakara canal route. Not Padinjare puzha,” said a KMRL official.
‘To ease traffic congestion’
However, the bridge, nestled in a residential zone, only sees minimal traffic. It is primarily used by locals and devotees of nearby Sree Poornathrayeesa temple. “Mostly pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. Also, the occasional auto rickshaw,” said K Pradeep, a resident of Tripunithura.
The ‘infrastructure revamp’ suggestion of the PWD would have made more sense had this idea of a new bridge been part of a larger, comprehensive overhaul of the road network in the area. Sadly, that’s not the case. “Why build a Rs 30-crore bridge in a residential zone?” asks Sandhya Das, another resident.
There are better, wider roads in the vicinity, points out Biley, an architect and urban designer. “The two-minute, 200m deviation that this iron bridge necessitates is simply the cost of living in an urban city.”
As per latest information, the PWD has began formed a committee for a social-impact study, which is slated to be turned in in 15 days.
“However, there are no historians, urban designers or residents on this committee. Like their initial report, this too is a whitewash. In any case, the project is unlikely to move ahead as it also entails acquiring 60 cents of land from Tripunithura’s key heritage zones — a tedious task indeed,” says a person in the know.
Whether the project will go ahead or not is another matter. The fact that it is on the table points to an indifference to preserving the heritage of Tripunithura, which has seen many buildings of significant cultural and historical value vanish in the past decade. Of the 55 that the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) had identified, only 14 remain.