A tender for the construction of Vallakkadavu Bridge will be floated soon

The approval process for the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed Vallakkadavu Bridge in Thiruvananthapuram is in its final stages after the completion of land acquisition for the project. In response to an RTI application filed by human rights activist Ragam Raheem, the executive engineer of the Public Works Department (PWD) informed that the land acquisition process has been completed. The department will start the tender once the DPR receives approval from the relevant authorities.

Efforts to reconstruct the bridge over the Parvathy Puthanar, which is part of the National Waterway, began in 1999. However, the project remained in limbo for years due to various reasons despite the government issuing several administrative sanctions over the years. As per the latest administrative sanction, issued on 8 January 2026, the government has sanctioned ₹59.20 crore for the construction of the bridge.

Fluctuating land prices were said to be one of the major factors delaying the reconstruction of the old Vallakkadavu Bridge, a major structure connecting the city to the coastal region and the home terminal of the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. The old bridge, which spans the TS Canal, was closed to traffic in 2022 after it was declared structurally unsafe. Motorists are currently using a temporary bridge built a few meters north of the old structure.

Because of the narrow passage under the temporary bridge for the flow of water, this section of the canal is now clogged with garbage and weeds. The bridge is also an important link en route to the airport’s domestic terminal, Beemapally Dargah Shareef and tourists visiting the popular Shangumughom beach. Aratt processions from the Padmanabhaswamy temple on their way to Shangumughom traditionally take this route.

Published – 4 Jul 2026 21:03 IST