Protest is mounting against the delay in completing the work on the new Kandachira spillway bridge.
The bridge is on the Kallumthazham-Achalumoodu road, a quick link for the eastern parts of the city with areas such as Perumon, Ashtamudi, Perinad, and Nanthrikkal located around Anchalumoodu.
Work on the 22-meter bridge with an estimate of Rs.4.26 crore began two years ago with an agreement to complete it in six months after demolishing the old bridge. There are allegations that the work progressed only at a snail’s pace at every stage.
Though the bridge portion has now been completed, work on the 100-m approach road is pending for the past four months. The delay has landed people residing along the 4-km stretch of the road on the northern side of the bridge in big hardship. Each day, hundreds of children from these areas commute to schools in the city. The 20 school buses in the area have withdrawn operations.
Similarly, those on the eastern side are unable to use the road to reach Anchalumoodu and beyond. A good number women living in these areas are cashew workers who also have to reach their factories in time for work. Last month, the District Collector visited the site and instructed the contractor to complete the work in two weeks so that the bridge could be opened to traffic before school reopening.
But the work dragged on and the Collector has been transferred. Fed up with the situation, the affected residents have now formed an action council. Council chairman M.V. Henry said the delay was compelling people to join hands and launch an agitation. But before that, a mass petition signed by the affected residents would be submitted to the Chief Minister, the PWD Minister, and the local MLA.
