Kochi: After missing the deadline twice, the key Eroor railway overbridge is set to open by January second week. “The work is almost over and we’ve written to the state government on fixing a date for the official inauguration. With its launch, the commuters can have a shorter route linking Kakkanad and Tripunithura,” an official of the Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala Ltd (RBDCK) said.
Former chief minister Oommen Chandy had laid the foundation stone for the Rs 28-crore RoB project in November 2014, and it was scheduled to be completed in May 2016. However, the authorities missed the deadline twice, resulting in protests by the local residents since the road traffic through the section was suspended for over two years to facilitate the construction.
“It’s a huge relief that the RoB at Maathur near Eroor is finally being opened to traffic. Now the region will witness an increased flow of vehicles. The narrow Kaniampuzha-Eroor road linking the region to the Vytilla hub should be widened,” said Mr V.C. Jayendran, secretary of the Tripunithura Rajanagari Union of Residents' Associations (TRURA).
Meanwhile, the local residents have expressed fears over the deteriorating condition of the Eroor bridge. “There are cracks in the pillars of the bridge caused by barges hitting them on numerous occasions. Even the hand railings have been corroded and are on the verge of breaking up. With the RoB being opened, there will be an increased flow of vehicles and the authorities should renovate it to avoid any disaster,” said Mr Girish Pottayil, secretary, Eroor Island Welfare Association.
