Thiruvananthapuram : The much-awaited bypass dream of Alappuzha residents will soon be a reality, said Minister for Public Works, G Sudhakaran. In the last hitch now overcome, Railway authorities approved the overbridge girders slated to be laid above the tracks at Kuthirapanthy.
Two rail overbridges(RoBs), one at Malikamukku and other at Kuthirapanthy, are part of the bypass project. Each RoB has five girders to it. Last year, when works progressed at rapid pace, the Railways raised objections to cambers - the arched shape on the surface - between the girders, citing minor measurement mismatch.
The problems pertaining to cambers were resolved soon enough and girders at Malikamukku were installed early this January following Railways nod. However, the approval for Kuthirapanthy girders met with inordinate delay prompting minister G Sudhakaran to write to Railway Board Chairman and the Ministry, to expedite the approval.
Now with Railways lending the nod, girders would be laid and concreting works begin. Seventy percent of construction works have been completed and with the two rail overbridges in place, Alappuzha bypass will become operational by August, said Minister Sudhakaran.
The two-lane bypass road is 6.8 km long and will link Kommady on the north and Kalarcode on the south and pass by the western side of National Highway 66.
