Union Minister for Surface Transport Nithin Gadkari inaugurated the construction work of the Cheruthoni bridge across the Periyar on the downstream of Idukki reservoir on Tuesday.
The unveiling of the plaque was done through a video conference, attended by Governor Arif Muhammed Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Speaking at the function Mr. Gadkari applauded the initiatives taken by the State government for the construction of national highways. He said the State was facing problems with regard to acquiring land for national highway development.
However, the government took special interest in such projects and was succeeding in it. He also noted that Mr. Vijayan and Public Works Minister G. Sudhakaran had met him many times to discuss the problems related to land acquisition. The new bridge at Cheruthoni is constructed as part of the national highway.
Mr. Vijayan said the bridge constructed at a cost of ₹24 crore would withstand the floods. It was expected that the construction would be completed in 18 months. He said that national highways were required for the development of the State and the Central government was giving full support to the initiatives.
The new bridge will connect Puliyanmala-Thodupuzha State highway with the Neryamaganlam road. In the 2018 floods, the water overflowed through the low-lying bridge (chappathu) constructed as part of the Idukki dam project at Cheriuthoni town.
The traffic was allowed through it only after verification by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) engineers on the extent of the damage.
The low-lying bridge withstood the heavy flow of water from the Cheruthoni dam and a large stock of the rocks were deposited on its upstream areas in the floods.. Only one-way traffic is possible through the bridge.
