The demand to restore the partially collapsed 117-year-old Cochin Bridge connecting Shoranur with Cheruthuruthy to its original form has gained new momentum with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) advising the State government to undertake the task.
Citing its inability to take the initiative to make it a protected monument because of paucity of funds and staff shortage, the ASI has advised the government to bring the restoration and maintenance under the joint responsibility of the Public Works Department (PWD) and the State Department of Archaeology.
The government had sought the ASI’s report last year when public protested the attempts to dismantle and auction the collapsed bridge. Acting on a request from Youth Congress leader Bobban Mattumantha, the government had promised that it would consider the demand for restoration after getting a report from the ASI.
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Commissioned in 1900, the bridge started facing neglect since January 2003, when a parallel bridge was constructed to meet the traffic needs.
Spans getting damaged
“It is high time the State government initiated restoration drive. The spans of the bridge are getting disconnected from the piers. A sizeable portion of the bridge collapsed in November 2011 and the rest is also under threat,” said social activist Prasad K. Shornur, who had been mobilising public opinion on the issue for several years. The 322.5-metre bridge with 15 spans was constructed using British technology with funds from the treasury of the then princely State of Cochin. It had provided road connectivity to Cochin from the erstwhile British rail head of Shoranur. Swami Vivekananda was one of the luminaries who used the bridge to enter Cochin after alighting at Shoranur. In those days, the river marked the boundary between Cochin and British Malabar.
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“For the residents of Shoranur and Cheruthuruthy, the old bridge is a link to the past. Once restored, it can be used as a spot for those who want to enjoy the river’s scenic beauty,” said Mr. Prasad. With the proposed Vivekananda memorial, the spot could attract tourists, he said.