The ₹20-crore Puthenvelikkara Bridge on the Station Kadavu-Valiya Pazhampallithuruth stretch was inaugurated by Public Works Minister G. Sudhakaran on Sunday.
“This is the 47th overbridge built by the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala (RBDCK). Work on 48 more overbridges in different districts will begin by July. The RBDCK will be expanded to ensure timely completion of these projects,” he said.
As per the Public Works Department manual, engineers must inspect each bridge in the State every four months. But it is seldom adhered to. A list of 346 bridges which had to be strengthened or needed to be rebuilt had been drawn up, said the Minister.
Puthenvelikkara is a panchayat in the northern end of Ernakulam district and is covered by waterbodies. The bridge will enable easy access from Puthenvelikkara to Kochi city and Paravur, facilitating the development of the region. The work on the bridge, which began in 2010, was stalled midway as the contractor abandoned the work, citing financial difficulty. The RBDCK took over the work in 2016.
