The construction of a bridge over Vembanad Lake connecting Perumbalam island to the mainland is making headway.
Officials said that 60% of the project had been completed. “Construction of 60 out of the total 81 girders has been completed. The construction of navigation spans and slabs is making steady progress. Measures are also underway to construct approach roads on both sides,” said an official.
The bridge will have 30 spans, including three navigation spans. Of these, 27 are constructed at a length of 35 m each, while the three in the middle are built at 55 m each. Once completed, the bowstring arch bridge will have a length of over 1,110 m and a width of 11 m. The width of the carriageway will be 7.5 m. Footpaths on both sides will have a width of 1.5 m.
The ₹100-crore project funded under the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) is expected to be opened for traffic in the first quarter of 2024.
Officials said that approach roads with a total length of 650 m would be constructed. “Land acquisition for the construction of approach roads on Perumbalam and Vaduthala sides has been completed. The process of uprooting trees and clearing vegetation on the land has begun. Pending land piling work has also been started,” said the official.
Three bridges
The construction of the bridge was a long-pending demand of the people of Perumbalam, the only island grama panchayat in Alappuzha. The bridge will make travel hassle-free for around 15,000 islanders who currently use boats to commute between their village and the mainland. It is part of the government’s wider plan to connect the Cherthala-Arookutty road with the Vaikom-Poothotta-Tripunithura State Highway through Perumbalam island. In the next phase, the government plans to construct a bridge connecting Perumbalam island and Vattavayal island. A third bridge will be constructed between Vattavayal and Poothotta.
The construction of all three bridges is expected to make commuting easy between Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Kottayam districts.
The Perumbalam bridge project is being carried out by the Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society.
