KOCHI: The inquiry report on the collapse of two girders of the Moolampally-Pizhala bridge that was under construction is expected in 10 days. Meanwhile, sources said the site inspection had been done by a team of experts from the Civil Engineering department of the National Institute of Technology, Calicut.
The District Collector had said that the team had been asked to submit a detailed technical report on the incident, which took place on March 18. The bridge was being built by the Kerala State Construction Corporation for the Goshree Islands Development Authority (GIDA).
Sources said nearly 75% of the work on the bridge had been completed, and that it should not take too long to commission it. At the time of the girder collapse, the bridge was expected to be completed in nine months. Sources said the collapse of girders had not held up work on the bridge.
GIDA does not foresee any hurdle to the completion of the bridge and approach road. Eighty per cent of the monetary compensation for the land acquired for the approach road has already been disbursed. In the second phase, the remaining 20% will be disbursed.
The bridge will serve around 1,500 families on the Pizhala island, which is still cut off from the Ernakulam mainland as it has no land connectivity.
The Moolampally-Pizhala bridge is among the several infrastructure development works undertaken by GIDA in the areas under its jurisdiction. The cost of the bridge is around ₹80 crore. Once completed, it will link the island to North Paravoor. The Pizhala-Kadamakkudy bridge too is part of the link. However, work has not taken off on this, while the work on the Kadamakkudy-Chathanad bridge has been completed.
