The Kerala High Court has directed the State government to consider granting administrative sanction for the proposal to construct a new bridge across Thottappilly Kattapuzha in Thripunithura in place of the old dilapidated iron bridge.
The court directed the State government to take a decision on the matter in two months.
Justice N. Nagaresh passed the directive recently while allowing a writ petition filed by Roy Thekkan and another resident of Poonithura. According to the petitioner, a new bridge had been proposed, as the century-old iron bridge behind the Thripunithura Sree Poornathrayeesa temple was closed owing to its bad condition.
It had been more than 30 months since it was closed. The petitioners were earlier using the old bridge for their travel to Thripunithura. In fact, it was their easiest route to get to Thripunithura. Though steps had been taken for constructing a new bridge, it had not reached anywhere.
The petitioners said the information received by them from the Public Works Department (PWD) under the Right to Information Act disclosed that the initial estimate for the new bridge would come to ₹29 crore.
Besides, it was learnt that the work for the new bridge would be tendered only after administrative sanction was received. The government is yet to grant administrative sanction for the proposal.
