A sketch of upcoming District Court bridge in Alappuzha.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The reconstruction of District Court bridge in Alappuzha town is making progress.

According to officials of the Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB), piling work for the bridge on the northern bank of the Vada canal is currently underway. “Of the total 168 piles, 36 have been completed and pile cap work has begun. We are also planning to begin girder works soon,” said a KRFB official.

Officials said that piling on the southern bank of the canal would begin after the settlement of a case in the Kerala High Court.

As part of constructing the new bridge, the existing structure across the canal will be dismantled in the coming months. The existing bridge has six roads merging at its two approaches, causing heavy traffic congestion. It affects the smooth flow of traffic on the Alappuzha-Madurai State Highway.

The new bridge, once completed, will be 90 metres long and 60 metres wide, and is expected to ease traffic congestion in Alappuzha town. As per the detailed project report, the new facility is planned as a roundabout without traffic signals. The project includes a three-lane road on both sides of the canal, 5.5-metre-wide flyovers, a 7.5-metre-wide underpass, and 5.5-metre-wide ramps. Traffic will flow unidirectionally on the flyovers and ramps, while the underpass will support bidirectional movement.

The project, funded by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board, is being implemented at a cost of ₹120.52 crore. Of the total amount, ₹20.58 crore has been allocated for land acquisition, ₹3.17 crore for utility shifting, and ₹3.64 crore for construction work. The project is expected to be completed in two years.

A temporary parallel road has been constructed to the east of the old police control room to facilitate vehicular traffic during the demolition and reconstruction of the existing bridge. To make way for the flyover construction, the Water Transport Department’s boat jetty and office were demolished and relocated a couple of months ago. At present, the temporary boat jetty and office are functioning at Matha jetty.