Kochi: The construction of a semi-circular cantilever bridge, which is coming up between the Kadavanthra and South stations of the Kochi Metro, will soon be over. This is the first time ever that such a complicated structure is being constructed on a metro track in India.

By October 31, when the existing 12-metre distance between the two blocks of the bridge get bridged, the rail tracks will be laid and the stretch will be ready to ply the metro. The metro is thus set to zoom its way to more routes inside the city.

The extremely time-consuming and precision-oriented work on the bridge was supposed to be completed by September 15. With the delay, nine metres of the gap will come up in September and it will take the whole of October to finish the work on the remaining three metres. The final touches on the 90-m bridge warrants immense concentration and care, thus necessitating a month’s time. Immense vigilance is required as railway signal lines and high-tension electric wires are in the vicinity.

The cantilever bridge is being constructed on the lines of the lightweight, cost-effective and versatile form-traveller technique, which enables easy movement of construction material on rails.

Both the ends of the bridge will have 65-m extensions that would ensure the balance of the bridge. In short, it is a stretch of 210 m.   

Once completed the tracks, up till Manorama Junction, will be laid in steel girders. With this the metro can become functional till Thykoodam beyond Vytilla along the Tripunithura route.

Meanwhile, the Kochi Metro rail flung itself back into full service after the August floods that had submerged major parts of Ernakulam and far-flung areas. More than three lakh passengers benefited from the 18.4-km transport service between Maharaja’s College and Aluva, north of the city, as floods derailed other modes of surface transport. 

The metro services came as a major relief for the people as the deluge had checked road transportation in and around Kochi. Evacuated public thronged the sea blue coaches of the metro to move to safer zones inside the city from marooned Aluva and Angamaly, closer to the Periyar river.