Makkekadavu–Nerekkadavu bridge linking Alappuzha with Kottayam to be inaugurated on Oct 18
The 800-metre Makkekadavu-Nerekkadavu Bridge, costing 98.09 crore rupees and connecting Alappuzha and Kottayam, will be inaugurated on the 18th to improve regional connectivity and replace the current two-wheeler ferry service.
The 800-metre Makkekadavu-Nerekkadavu Bridge, costing 98.09 crore rupees and connecting Alappuzha and Kottayam, will be inaugurated on the 18th to improve regional connectivity and replace the current two-wheeler ferry service.
The 800-metre Makkekadavu-Nerekkadavu Bridge, costing 98.09 crore rupees and connecting Alappuzha and Kottayam, will be inaugurated on the 18th to improve regional connectivity and replace the current two-wheeler ferry service.
Poochakkal: The Makkekadavu Nerekkadavu Bridge, which connects Alappuzha and Kottayam districts, will be inaugurated at 9 am on October 18 in Makkekadavu by Chief Minister V D Satheesan.
Aroor MLA and Deputy Speaker Shanimol Usman, Vaikom MLA K Binimol, Alappuzha Collector Shaji V Nair, and Public Works Department Alappuzha Executive Engineer T Rekha announced that Ministers P K Basheer, M Liju, Mons Joseph, and MPs K C Venugopal, Francis George, among others, are expected to attend. The ceremony is planned to be held at a location adjacent to the bridge in Makkekadavu.
The construction of the bridge and its approach roads has been completed. Work such as drawing up safety documents and installing safety equipment is progressing. Electricity connections for streetlights will also be available soon.
The Makkekadavu – Nerekkadavu Bridge is part of the Thuravoor – Pamba route. This route starts at Thuravoor and reaches Pamba via Thaikattussery, Makkekadavu, Udayanapuram, Vaikom, Kaduthuruthy, Pala, and Erumely. As the first phase, the construction of the Thuravoor – Thaikattussery Bridge was completed in 2015.
The Makkekadavu – Nerekkadavu Bridge constitutes the second phase of the project. Makkekadavu falls within the Thaikattussery Panchayat of Alappuzha district, while Nerekkadavu is part of the Udayanapuram Panchayat in Kottayam district. The bridge, which is 800 meters long, has been completed with a width of 11 meters, including footpaths on both sides.
Constructed under the leadership of the Public Works Department, Cherian Varkey Constructions undertook the contract, funded by the state at a cost of 98.09 crore rupees. The bridge features 22 spans, including two navigation spans, each 47.16 metres long, located at the centre. It also has 60-metre-long approach roads on both sides of the bridge and service roads on both banks.
Currently, to cross the Makkekadavu–Nerekkadavu backwaters, there is a ferry that can only carry two-wheelers. The other option is to travel several kilometres via the Thanneermukkom Bund. Even after the bridge opens, heavy vehicles, including lorries, will face difficulties travelling from Nerekkadavu to the Vaikom road due to the narrow width of the existing roads and culverts.