KOCHI: Kochites will have to wait for another two months before they can use the new Venduruthy bridge. This is on account of the delay in the construction of an underpass connecting the Naval Base and Kataribagh for the exclusive use of southern Naval command.“We are expecting to complete the work by the end of November and the bridge will be functional for the public from the first week of December. The work of the underpass connecting Naval Base and Kataribagh is expected to be complete within three weeks and the work on the approach road is expected to be completed by the last week of November,” PWD executive engineer T I Jose said. Another reason for the delay in opening the Venduruthy bridge is the movement of pipeline that ran under the proposed approach road to the bridge. “We expect to complete the work by October 20. Almost 75 percent of the work is complete. The delay occured because payments were not made in time by the PWD and also due to the unavailability of the pipe,” said KWA engineer K S Babu. Jose said that the estimated cost for the construction of the 626 meter long and 11.05 meter broad bridge was `37.5 crore. He also noted that the delay in the work and hike in cost of construction materials and labour wages had not affected the estimated construction cost. “We also revised `5 crore as the construction cost of the 24 meter long, 4.2 meter tall and 6 meter broad underpass from the southern naval command,” he said.“Initially when the project was approved in 2006, the plan was to pool in one third of the total cost each from PWD, Port Trust and Naval Base. But later the Port Trust withdrew from the plan which led to suspension of the work for quite some time in 2007. But in October 2007, the Kerala Road Fund Board was approached for funds, which had helped to resume the work,” he said.The old Venduruthy bridge that connects West Kochi and Kochi is now in a dangerous condition as cracks have developed in some parts and thousands of vehicles passing by everyday.
Comments
0 comment