Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will inaugurate the Salim Rajan road overbridge on Sunday. It is the first project undertaken by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation as part of Kochi metro’s preparatory works.
The Kochi Corporation’s move to christen the bridge after late minister A.L. Jacob drew the ire of Kochiites as the civic body failed to widen the narrow bellmouths along Rajaji Road — on Chitoor Road and MG Road — where vehicles will converge on the bridge’s western side.
Residents of Salim Rajan road have petitioned to Mr. Chandy against the corporation’s move to rename the bridge.
Salim’s elder brother V.N. Lincoln said in a press release that the road on the bridge’s eastern side was named after Salim and his friend Rajan — a tailor, who were killed near the bridge by a goon 43 years ago.
The DMRC is not opposed to naming the bridge after Salim and Rajan. A name board readied by the corporation reads Salim Rajan overbridge. The 425-metre-long two-lane bridge that links Salim Rajan road near Gandhinagar to Rajaji road near KSRTC bus stand was completed as per deadline in 15 months.
The estimated cost of the project was Rs.38 crore, which included cost of land, civil works, shifting power and water lines, and the amount deposited with Railways for works on rail lines.
There was no cost escalation in the project built by joint venture firm CVCC–RDS.
The railway span of the bridge consists of steel ‘U’ girders which are the longest ones to be used in any railway road over bridge in Kerala.
The girders weigh 330 tonnes and run to a length of 46.80 metres.
The bridge will reduce traffic congestion on the South over bridge and improve connectivity from MG Road and Chitoor Road to Kaloor-Kadavanthara Road.
GIDA office
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will also inaugurate Goshree Islands Development Authority’s (GIDA) boat terminal and office complex on the Goshree-Chatiath road on Sunday.
