Construction of a service road bridge at Thiruvallam is to begin

The eagerly anticipated service road bridge proposed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to avoid frequent accidents caused by motorists violating the one-way rule near Thiruvallam junction will soon become a reality. The new bridge's construction will start in three months, according to the NHAI. A tender will be called for the bridge's construction after the project's revised estimate has been given the go-ahead from the NHAI regional office. According to the updated estimate, the proposed bridge will be 110 meters long, 12.5 meters wide, and cost Rs. 12 crore to build. The proceedings for the approval of the estimate and tender process will take two months, and the selection of the bidder will take one month. So, we expect to start the construction after completing the proceedings, said P Pradeep, NHAIproject director. PWD minister P A Mohammed Riyas visited Thiruvallam two weeks ago and directed the NHAI to begin work on the service bridge as soon as possible. In February, the NHAI regional office filed a detailed project report (DPR). However, the NHAI headquarters had asked it to modify the DPR in order to avoid toll revenue leakage. The NHAI modified and redesigned the DPR based on the direction. The toll plaza is only around 200 meters from the Thiruvallam junction. Accidents are common in this area because vehicles, particularly buses and big trucks, break the one-way rule. The NHAI leadership had previously suggested destroying the current bridge and building a new one instead. However, a service road might be built without the existing one being torn down, according to a suggestion from its regional office. As per the design, the old bridge will serve as the major carriageway of the NH bypass, and the new service road bridge will be for drivers traveling from Ambalathara to Thiruvallam and Pachalloor. The service bridge should reduce the number of accidents that occur frequently close to the Thiruvallam Parasurama temple. One of Thiruvananthapuram's busiest intersections, Thiruvallam is used by vehicles heading to Kovalam, Pachalloor, East Fort, and Ambalathara. Those using the old bridge to access Ambalathara from Pachalloor and Kovalam frequently collide with those arriving from Kumarichantha. If drivers from Kovalam want to access Thiruvallam junction, they must make a U-turn at the Kumarichantha signal. However, people traveling to Pachalloor or Ambalathara favor doing a U-turn on the NH. For commuters and automobiles leaving Kumarichantha, this is risky. By building a new service road, drivers from the Ambalathara side would be able to bypass the old bridge and arrive at the Thiruvallam junction. See also: NHAI directed to repair Kerala highways within a week NHAI to begin work on elevated highway in Chennai Port