Kavalam-Thattassery bridge: revised estimate gets KIIFB nod
The Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) has approved a revised estimate of ₹63.59 crore for the construction of the Kavalam-Thattassery bridge across the Pampa river in Kuttanad.
Earlier, KIIFB had given financial approval for ₹60.03 crore. However, a revision in the schedule of rates by the Public Works department prevented the Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB), which has been entrusted with the bridge construction, from proceeding to the tendering stage.
'We will soon launch the tendering process. The work is expected to be awarded in two months,' said a KRFB official.
Financial approval
Though land acquisition was completed in 2023, the delay in receiving the final nod from KIIFB had stalled the project. While KIIFB granted financial approval two months ago, the revision of the schedule of rates necessitated the estimate to be revised, causing further delay.
In 2016, the State government had allocated ₹30 crore for constructing the bridge and approach roads. Later, the project cost was increased to ₹52 crore. Initially, authorities planned to acquire the land needed through direct negotiated purchase. However, some landowners demanded a change in alignment. As the alignment was fixed by the Inland Waterways Authority of India, officials rejected the request. Later, the Revenue department dropped the plan to acquire land through negotiated purchase.
By November 2018, the department announced that the land would be acquired by invoking the Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act. Landowners were given time until December 1, 2018, to hand over consent letters. However, no follow-up action was initiated until 2020. After prolonged delays and protests led by a people's committee, more than an acre of land in Kavalam and Kunnumma villages was acquired for the project. Demolition of structures was completed in 2024. Nevertheless, the project remained stalled due to the pending clearance from KIIFB.
Cost escalation
The project cost increased due to cost escalation. The bridge will be approximately 400 m long and 8.5 m wide.
Once completed, the bridge will connect the Alappuzha-Changanassery (AC) road and the Main Central (MC) road. It will help reduce the distance between Alappuzha and Kottayam by around 9 km. It will also facilitate development in Kuttanad's remote areas.
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