Vallathaikkadavu bridge in Karassery to open to traffic next week

The Vallathaikkadavu bridge across the Cherupuzha, which links Karamoola and Vallathaippara in Karassery grama panchayat, will be opened to traffic next week, bringing relief to residents of the hilly agricultural belt of eastern Kozhikode.

MLA C.K. Kasim said the bridge would be thrown open without waiting for every pending item of work to be finished. Tarring, painting and a few other tasks remain incomplete. The decision to open the structure at the earliest was taken in view of the hardship faced by local people, who have had to take long detours since construction began.

"The Vallathaikkadavu bridge will be opened to traffic within 10 days, without waiting for the entire construction work to be completed. The official inauguration will be held later," Mr. Kasim said.

Although the concrete work was finished several months ago, the opening was held up because the approach roads were not ready. Work to raise the roads with earth and link them to the bridge is now nearly complete, and tarring is expected to begin soon.

The old vented-pipe bridge at Vallathaikkadavu was demolished to make way for the new structure, built at a cost of about ₹5 crore. Construction started in January 2024 as a permanent answer to the repeated disruption of traffic caused by the old bridge going under water during the monsoon. The project was initially delayed by design changes.

Narrow and flood-prone, the old bridge would stay submerged for days during heavy rain. The new one stands at a higher elevation and is expected to offer a more dependable link between the two banks of the river.

Once open, the bridge will shorten travel from the Mukkom region to hilly areas such as Thekkumkutty, Maranchatti and Chundathumpoyil. At present, residents must take a longer route to reach Vallathaippara and nearby places.