Kerala - Kochi   

Funds shortage hits bridges projects

Photo: H. Vibhu

THE LONG WAIT: The overbridge proposed by the RBDCK at the Ponnurunni level crossing has been hanging fire for around a decade. —

KOCHI: A project to construct three bridges and one road by the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala (RBDCK) to ease traffic congestion in Kochi has been hanging fire for want of funds.

The corporation’s debt has mounted to Rs 107 crore, mainly because of the opposition to collection of toll in many of its bridges and the government’s delay in sanctioning funds. Moreover, the State government handed over only Rs. 9 crore of the Rs. 25 crore share capital that the agency ought to have been given when it was constituted in 1999.

Prominent among the bridge projects is the one at Atlantis, which would have considerably reduced snarls on and near the South overbridge. “Both sides of the level cross are heavily built up with shops and houses, making land acquisition tough. We need the support of the Corporation of Cochin for the purpose,” said R. Sreelekha, managing director of the corporation. High-tension power lines of the KSEB would have to be relocated and this alone would require Rs. 1 crore.

Another problem that has to be surmounted is the Railways’ insistence that there has to be a height clearance of 6.5 metres for the rail portion of the bridge. This means, the approach arm (approximately 160 metres long) on the western side of the bridge will exceed the proposed starting point of the bridge from the MG Road end. The bridge would thus have to be relocated.

An elevated roundabout planned at Pachalam around a decade ago is another of the delayed projects. “The Railways say that they would be able to pool in with funds only if two bridges are built — at the congested crossings in Pachalam and Vaduthala. This is because of the rule that the level crossing has to be closed when a bridge is built. In this case, the Vaduthala level crossing will have to be maintained even when the Pachalam roundabout is readied,” says Sibi J Pullopillil, general manager of the RBDCK. Apart from the Railways, the Goshree Islands Development Authority, the Corporation of Cochin and the Cochin Port Trust had promised to provide funds for the roundabout in 2006. The RBDCK does not have funds for the Ponnurunni overbridge either, despite land acquisition being over. As for the Pullepady bridge — a project which would smoothen traffic flow in Kochi’s northern and southern parts, the RBDCK had completed the approach arms of the bridge over two years ago. The Railways is yet to begin work in right earnest to build a 25-metre portion connecting the two arms. Except for the area that was surrendered free of cost, the Corporation of Cochin is yet to hand over land to the RBDCK to lay the approach roads that would connect the MG Road with the NH 47 bypass.

The agency is finding the going tough since neither the PWD nor the government is handing over funds for bridge and road development projects.

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