The Public Works department (PWD) has begun soil testing to construct a new bridge at Rajamala on the Munnar-Udumalpet Interstate Highway. According to officials, the new bridge will be set up at Rajamala 5th mile, around 12 km from Munnar town.
Devikulam Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) A. Raja said that the parallel bridge at Rajamala 5th mile aims at avoiding hours-long traffic blocks on holidays and weekends on the Rajamala-Munnar stretch.
According to the officials, the 7-m wide bridge will be constructed on the 5th-mile curve at Rajamala. “The parallel bridge will be constructed with a 1.5-m wide footpath. After completing the works, while the interstate vehicle will be diverted through the new bridge, the tourist vehicles will be allowed to move through the old bridge,” said Mr Raja.
PWD bridges section assistant executive engineer Susan Sarah Samuel said that soil testing, including inspection works, for the proposed bridge are under way. “After completing the inspection works, we will make a Detailed Project Report (DPR) on the bridge and go ahead with the construction works of the bridge,” said Ms Samuel.
Eravikulam National Park (ENP) is the natural habitat of the Nilgiri Tahr connecting Rajamala through the Munnar-Udumalpet Interstate Highway. ENP is one of the major tourist destinations in Munnar. The massive flowering of Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes Kunthiana) is witnessed inside the ENP once in 12 years, attracting lakhs of tourists around the globe.
According to officials, the narrow road and roadside parking by ENP visitors often result in hours-long traffic blocks in Rajamala 5th mile. On weekends and holidays, the route witness traffic snarls lasting upto six hours, which throw the entire traffic on the Munnar-Udumalpet interstate stretch into complete disarray.
ENP assistant wildlife warden Job J. Neriamparampil said the next Neelakurinji season is expected to arrive in 2030. “Last year, 5,79,320 lakh tourists visited the National Park. In the 2006-07 year, Neelakurinji flowering season, tourist footfall was 4,52,428 lakh and in the 2018-09 season, it was 4,44,360 lakh. On weekends and holidays, nearly 2,000 to 3,000 tourists visit the park,” Mr. Neriamparampil said.
