THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The High Court has issued notice to the government on a petition seeking time-bound renovation of the Vallakadavu bridge that has heritage value. Admitting a petition filed by a Thiruvananthapuram resident, the High Court sent notices to Chief secretary, Thiruvananthapuram district collector, city police commissioner and PWD officials. A division bench of Chief Justice Antony Dominic and justice Raja Vijayaraghavan issued the notices.
The petitioner Ragam Rahim said in a statement that he had sought that the bridge should be renovated within a deadline prescribed by the court. Land required for the project should be acquired in a time-bound manner. He also demanded that restrictions be placed on traffic along the bridge until the renovation was over. Meanwhile, local sources said that the bridge was already strengthened several years back and further steps to strengthen it for the time being was being carried out as the land acquisition may require some time.
It may be recalled that though the Public Works Department earlier made a plan for a new bridge by demolishing the existing one, the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple authorities and a group of local residents had raised concerns over the plans as it may hinder the movement of traditional ‘aaratu’ procession of the temple. Subsequently as new plan was being prepared, for which about 30 cents of land would have to be acquired.
