Residents in Wayanad's Thariode urge immediate reconstruction of crumbling footbridge
Residents in Thariode have urged authorities to replace the severely deteriorated Kalikkuni–Edakkandanpadi footbridge with a permanent, motorable structure, warning that erosion has compromised its stability and endangered hundreds of daily commuters.
Residents in Thariode have urged authorities to replace the severely deteriorated Kalikkuni–Edakkandanpadi footbridge with a permanent, motorable structure, warning that erosion has compromised its stability and endangered hundreds of daily commuters.
Residents in Thariode have urged authorities to replace the severely deteriorated Kalikkuni–Edakkandanpadi footbridge with a permanent, motorable structure, warning that erosion has compromised its stability and endangered hundreds of daily commuters.
Thariode: Local residents have urged authorities to reconstruct the Kalikkuni–Edakkandanpadi footbridge, warning that the severely deteriorated structure poses a critical safety hazard. Severe erosion has damaged the base of its support pillars, raising concerns over its structural stability.
The footbridge serves as a vital shortcut connecting Parathode town on the Vythiri–Tharuvana road to Kalikkuni and Cherikkandi. Hundreds of pedestrians, including schoolchildren, cross the bridge daily, and it is also frequently used by two-wheeler riders.
Constructed three decades ago, the bridge has suffered significant structural wear over time, with the foundation stones around its piers completely washed away by the stream's current. A large number of families, including residents from nearby tribal settlements, depend on this route for their daily commute. The weakened structure also poses a risk to locals who use the stream below for bathing and washing clothes.
With road work on both approaches to the bridge already completed, local residents have demanded that authorities replace the compromised footbridge with a permanent, motorable bridge to ensure safe transit for the public.