Kerala - Alappuzha   

Bridge to get a major facelift

ALAPPUZHA: The age-old Iron Bridge, one of the major landmarks in Alappuzha town, is all set to get a facelift worth Rs.92 lakh.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, K.C. Venugopal, MLA, said the project was to widen the bridge and thereby solve the daily traffic blocks at the Iron Bridge Junction. To be included in the new MLA Scheme, the project had already been submitted by the Public Works Department to Minister for Public Works Mons Joseph for approval.

The existing bridge would remain, while both its sides would see structures coming up so as to add to the existing width. The approach roads and footpaths for pedestrians too would be widened.

The width of the bridge, which is 6.2 metres now, would be 10.5 metres once the work was over, probably in a year’s time, Mr. Venugopal said.

Kochi-based Esteem Developers had prepared the project report, which envisages facility for a right-angle turn for vehicles from both sides of the bridge.

The narrow bridge has been one of the most crucial reasons for regular traffic blocks in the town, with vehicles, particularly buses, finding it difficult to make a turn from the bridge on to the side-roads.

Mr. Venugopal later demanded that the State government should reconsider its decision to curtail the validity of administrative sanctions given to public works from the existing five years to two years. The decision would affect several projects, especially in Alappuzha where 23 works worth Rs.22 crore were pending with no contractors coming forward to take them up.

Most of these works, which included widening of several major thoroughfares, a drainage project and repair and maintenance of other public facilities in the town, were given administrative sanctions in 2006. However, owing to the reluctance of contractors to take up the works, only two had been completed so far.

If the revised validity period came into effect, local authorities would have to revise estimates and submit fresh projects, which would only further the delay, Mr. Venugopal said.

Contractors were demanding at least 85 per cent above the estimate for these works, while the Finance Department would not allow an excess of above 20 per cent.

The situation would be discussed in a meeting to be convened by Minister Mons Joseph at Thiruvananthapuram later this month, the MLA added.

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Bridge to get a major facelift

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