COIMBATORE: Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati on Wednesday inaugurated the 100-year-old suspension bridge in Kallar on Mettupalayam - Coonoor road which was renovated by Odanthurai panchayat to mark the milestone.
According to sources, the bridge, also called as Thooripalam, is one of the oldest steel bridges constructed on the Kallar river without pillars for a distance of 65 metres in 1924 -1925. It is a significant bridge at the foothills of the Nilgiris, which connects Mettupalayam with Coonoor and Udhagamandalam. The suspension bridge replaced a masonry bridge built by the British in 1894. The masonry bridge was razed in 2015 after it got damaged.
Traffic on the suspension bridge was stopped in 2016 after the structure became worn out and could not cater to the increasing traffic. The highways department built a concrete bridge alongside the iron structure.
R Thangavelu, president of Odanthurai Panchayat, who took the initiative to renovate the bridge, said “The British constructed it without any advanced technology and it served for almost a century. After it became weather-worn, calls to turn it into a monument grew louder and the panchayat came up with a plan. A company agreed to fund the renovation expenses. A two-wheeler manufacturer donated plastic bottles scrapping machine and a water dispenser for tourists visiting the place.”
He added that the panchayat has sent a proposal to declare the bridge as a heritage structure. “The panchayat has also decided to allot half an acre near the bridge for setting up a park. The company that sponsored the renovation of the bridge has assured the development of the park. The work would be commenced soon. Once the park is opened, the entry fee would be collected from tourists,” he added.