Kozhikode's Cheruvannur Junction opens after installation of girders for overbridge construction
Cheruvannur junction has reopened for traffic, restoring connectivity after girders were installed for the overbridge project. The main route remains closed until November 26th.
Cheruvannur junction has reopened for traffic, restoring connectivity after girders were installed for the overbridge project. The main route remains closed until November 26th.
Cheruvannur junction has reopened for traffic, restoring connectivity after girders were installed for the overbridge project. The main route remains closed until November 26th.
In a major relief to Kozhikode's urban transit, the Cheruvannur junction has been reopened for traffic after the successful installation of key concrete girders for the ongoing Cheruvannur overbridge project. Vehicles were allowed to pass through the busy intersection from 6 pm, restoring vital connectivity from Cheruvannur to the Beypore and Kolathara roads.
While the opening of the junction offers temporary relief to daily commuters, complete normalcy is yet to return. Motorists should note that the traffic ban on the main route from Feroke to the city via Cheruvannur will remain in force until September 26.
Milestone achieved amidst challenges
Engineers and construction crews successfully positioned six massive girders across the junction spans by Tuesday afternoon. Following this, the railway tracks laid for the gantry cranes were dismantled, and quick road repair works were carried out before giving the green light for vehicular movement. Local residents, relieved by the swift progress, celebrated the reopening of the junction by bursting firecrackers.
The road ahead for the project
With the highest and most complex section of the flyover completed at the junction, the project has cleared its biggest logistical hurdle. Three days into the planned one-week traffic ban, eight girders have been successfully positioned. Over the next three days, the construction team aims to install the remaining 16 girders across three other spans. The 50-tonne concrete girders, currently stored near a local petrol pump, are being transported and lifted onto the piers using massive gantry cranes—a task that continues to pose significant logistical challenges due to their immense weight.
A modern four-lane upgrade
Once completed, the ₹89 crore Cheruvannur overbridge will span 700 metres in length and 16 metres in width, accommodating four lanes of traffic. Designed with 14 spans of 25 metres each, the bridge requires a total of 84 girders, 46 of which have already been anchored on either side of the structure. Executed by the Kerala Road Fund Board under the City Road Improvement Project, the flyover is expected to permanently resolve the traffic bottlenecks that have plagued the region for years.