Tamil Nadu - Nagercoil   

Hanging bridge to get facelift

Staff Reporter

At a cost of Rs. 40 lakhs, says the Collector-in-charge, Jothi Nirmala

A TALL ORDER: The hanging bridge at Mathur near Thiruvattar. — Photo: A.Shaikmohideen

Nagercoil: The district administration has decided to give a facelift to the hanging bridge at Mathur near Thiruvattar at a cost of Rs. 40 lakhs, the Collector-in-charge, Jothi Nirmala, said.

She told The Hindu on Wednesday that it was the tallest as well as the longest trough bridge in Asia with a height of 115 feet and a length of one km. Constructed in 1966, this bridge has become a place of attraction for both foreign and domestic tourists. The bridge was constructed across the river Parazhiyar at a cost of Rs. 12.90 lakhs.

The trough canal (Pattanamkal canal) carries water for irrigation from one side of a hill to the other side. Twenty-eight huge pillars shoulder the bridge.

The then Chief Minister, K. Kamaraj, ordered construction of the bridge as a drought relief measure and for development of agriculture activities at Vilavancode and Kalkulam taluks. The district administration has recently put up a staircase from top to bottom of the bridge and formed children's park and a bathing platform there.

With a view of provide infrastructure facilities, a sum of Rs. 2.5 lakhs was allotted for construction of toilets for men and women, Rs. 11 lakhs for construction of a pathway from Verkilampi to Mathur bridge, Rs. 10 lakhs for laying approach roads, formation of new children's park etc.

Works were going on in full swing and would be completed at the earliest, said Jothi Nirmala.

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