New bridge to end decades-long wait of Perumbalam islanders

The long -awaited bridge on the Vembanad Lake, which provides direct road access between Perumalam Island and the mainland, will be opened in the coming months.

Authorities say the construction of the bridge has been completed and that it is working on ways of approaching Perrumalam and Vaduthala. An official continues to be the picture of the bridge. 90% of the approach on the Vaduthala side is completed and the work on the Perumbalam side is progressing well. As things stop, the whole project will be completed within two months, ”he says.

The construction of the bridge has been a long demand for the Perrumalam people, the only island Gama Panchayat in Alappuzha. After opening, the bridge will now make travel smoothly for about 15,000 islands, who are dependent on going back and forth between their villages and motherlands. Local residents also asked Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to start bus services after the bridge was opened.

The Bowstring Arch bridge has a length of 1,157 meters and a width of 11 meters. There are 30 openings, including three navigation time on the bridge connecting Perrumalam and Vaduthala in Araookutty. 27 of them are 35 meters long, three in the middle, each 55 meters each. The width of the carrier is 7.5 meters. The paths on both sides are 1.5 meters wide. When completed, the upcoming roads will have a total length of 650 meters.

The 100 Crore project is financed by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB).

The bridge is part of the government’s plan to unite the Cherthala-Arookutty Road through the Vaikom-Poothotta-Tripunitha State Highway via Perumalam Island. In the next stage, the government plans to build a bridge that connects Perrumam Island and Vattavayal Island. A third bridge between Vattavayal and Poothotta will be built. Three bridges are expected to significantly increase the connection between Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Kottayam.

Perrumalam Bridge work is carried out by the Uralungal Labor Contract Cooperative Association (ULCCs).