Construction of Naluchira bridge completed

The construction of the Naluchira bridge across the Karuvatta Leading Channel near Thottappally in Alappuzha has been completed. The State’s first extradosed cable-stayed bridge, built at a cost of Rs. 60.73 crore, will be opened to traffic soon.

Officials said here on Wednesday that Keltron would complete the electrification work on the bridge by the end of March.

Naluchira is an area with no major road connectivity. At present, the residents of Illichira and Naluchira used to cross the channel with the help of a ferry to reach the National Highway (NH 66) via Kottaravalavu. Once opened, the bridge will connect the Ambalappuzha-Thiruvalla State Highway and NH 66, marking a new chapter in the region’s development. Besides improving regional connectivity, it will serve as a parallel route to NH 66. The bridge will also facilitate the transportation of agricultural products, including harvested paddy, from fields in the Thottappally and Karuvatta regions by road and is expected to contribute to the growth of Alappuzha’s tourism sector.

The Naluchira bridge, constructed using a combination of pre-stressed box girders and cable-stayed technology, is 458 metres long and 11.2 m wide. It features a 70-m central span without any piers in the river to ensure smooth water transport. Additional spans have been built – two measuring 42 m, another two of 24.5 m, 17 measuring 12 m and two of 19.8 m.

Though the construction of the bridge was proposed a few years ago, the project could not be materialised after the Union government initially denied approval, citing the National Waterways Act. Later, the Centre granted permission for the bridge to be constructed seven metres above the water level.

The construction of the bridge was approved during the tenure of G. Sudhakaran as Public Works Minister in the first Pinarayi Vijayan government. An amount of Rs. 38 crore was sanctioned under the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). Following interventions by Ambalappuzha MLA H. Salam, the present Left Democratic Front government revised the project cost to ensure its completion. The KIIFB nod for the revised estimate was received last year. The bridge has been constructed under the aegis of the Kerala Road Fund Board.