The moment when the people of Vypin Island first set foot on the far bank of the river via the Cherai Bridge is now marking 65 years. Though many bridges have since been built to the north and south of Vypin, for the older generation, the Cherai Bridge remains more than a mere structure. Beyond opening a route to the outside world, it has been a crucial catalyst for the island’s development across various sectors.

According to history researcher Aswathi Harikumar, the idea of constructing a bridge to connect Paravur with Cherai in Vypin was first raised at a cabinet meeting of the erstwhile Kochi State on December 9, 1949. The proposal was put forward by Sahib Bahadur Chelladi, legislator of Cheruthuruthy. After several rounds of discussion, the Paravur–Cherai Bridge again came up for deliberation in the Kochi State cabinet on October 3, 1954.

On that date, Minister A Achutan clarified that the Paravur–Cherai Bridge was among the 13 bridges to be constructed under the five-year plans. Work progressed in different phases. Government records note that the bridge was opened on September 29, 1960, though the marble plaque at the site states that it was inaugurated on December 29, 1960, by then Chief Minister Pattom Thanu Pillai.

For writer and children’s literature author Sippy Pallipuram, memories of the inauguration are still vivid. “Until then, the residents of Vypin relied on ferries operated by boats to cross to the mainland. The Kovilakahumkadavu–Kunjithai ferry route was the most important line on the northern side of the island,” he recalls. Other popular routes included Thondikadavu, Arayathikadavu and more.

People often walked for hours along paddy bunds to reach these ferry points. To cross over to Ernakulam, they depended on boats running along the Kochi–Kotapuram water route, with numerous country boats ferrying passengers to these larger vessels. All of that changed with the opening of the Cherai Bridge.

Decades later, an array of new bridges such as the Goshree Bridges, linking Vypin to Kochi city, and the Pallipuram–Malyankara Bridge, added to the island’s connectivity. The Munambam–Azhikode Bridge, on the northern tip of the island, is now in its final stages of construction. Yet the significance of the Cherai Bridge endures.
With the structure now showing signs of age, discussions are underway about building a new bridge at the same location.