Second bridge at Kodimatha to open on November 10

After a decade-long wait, the second bridge at Kodimatha along the M.C. Road is finally set to be opened to traffic on November 10.

Kottayam legislator and Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan announced that Public Works Minister P.K. Basheer will formally inaugurate the bridge at 5 p.m. Constructed by the Public Works Department (PWD) Bridges wing at an estimated cost of ₹15.49 crore, the new high-level structure has been designed to ensure unhindered water transport following the modernisation of the M.C. Road corridor.

Spanning 128 meters in length and 12 meters in width, the new bridge is expected to provide a definitive solution to chronic traffic bottlenecks plaguing the narrow, ageing legacy structure. Ahead of the formal opening, authorities have completed the approach road tarring alongside the installation of zebra crossings and road studs.

“Opening the bridge before the onset of the Sabarimala pilgrimage season will offer massive relief to Ayyappa devotees,” Mr. Radhakrishnan said, in a statement. Noting that nearly half of the approach road to the old bridge has sunken, he added that authorities plan to take up the reconstruction of the older structure once the new facility is fully operational.

The second bridge at Kodimatha, part of the M.C. Road renovation, was originally intended to be completed in 18 months. The Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP) began construction in August 2015, with the goal of completing the bridge alongside the M.C. Road development. However, progress stalled due to difficulties in relocating two families living beneath the existing bridge. The families rejected the compensation offered by KSTP, leading to the abandonment of the half-built bridge after KSTP handed over the completed M.C. Road to the Public Works department.

Kottayam municipality later stepped in, securing housing for one of the families through the Life Mission initiative, allowing their relocation. The second family’s relocation faced delays until February 2021, when a voluntary organisation provided them with land and a house, finally clearing the way for the project to continue.