The travel from Kozhikode city to Kannur is to get smoother soon with the new bridge across the Korapuzha getting commissioned in a few months. The work of the bridge is progressing fast and is expected to be completed by February 2021, authorities say.
The bridge across Korapuzha on the National Highway, which was almost a century old and constructed by the British, was demolished in December 2018 as it was in a dangerous condition. Besides, it was too narrow to accommodate the heavy traffic on the route and was often the reason for hours-long traffic blocks on the highway.
The new bridge is being constructed at a cost of ₹26-crore by the Kerala Road Fund Board and National Highways Authority of India. It is much broader compared with the earlier one. It is 12-metre wide, of which 7.5-metre is the carriage way and the rest consists of 1.5-metre-wide footpaths on both sides. The bridge is being constructed on nine pillars over which there are seven spans, each 32-metre-long and 12-metre wide. Besides, there are approach roads on both sides and service roads where necessary. Street lights are also being set up on the new bridge.
After the demolition of the old bridge, the traffic from Kozhikode to northern towns such as Koyilandy and Vadakara, besides Kannur, were diverted from Puthiyangadi through the NH bypass road. With this, traffic through Elathur, where the bridge is located, had become minimal, adversely affecting the business and lifestyle of people on the stretch between Puthiyangadi and Elathur.
Reopening of the Korapuzha bridge and restoring of the traffic through the stretch, are hence much looked forward to by the local people.
