Public works department builds 100 bridges in 400 days

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Public works department (PWD) is basking in the glory of having built 100 bridges in 400 days.

The actual deadline was on January 31 (400 days). Within the tenure of the current UDF government, the PWD has completed the construction of 245 bridges.

Most of the bridges were almost ready for the launch when PWD engineers experienced technical deadlocks in the form of having no approach roads or land acquisition issues.

PWD minister V. K. Ebrahimkunju then appointed a technical committee under the aegis of PWD secretary A. P. M. Mohammed Hanish along with chief engineers and other senior officials of the department.

Mr Ebrahimkunju told DC that it was a challenge for the committee to complete the project ahead of the deadline.

“We had computed that a bridge should be materialised every three days. But owing to technical snags, it was not easy as we expected. However, ever since the technical committee held a weekly review meeting, things fell into its groove, and the 100 bridges were ready in 400 days,” said mr Ebrahimkunju.

The majority of the bridges’ budget ranged from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 6 crore. However, the total budget of the 100 bridges came to Rs 1,600 crore, said top PWD officials.

On Friday, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will inaugurate the largest two bridges in Kozhikode district on the Kozhikode bypass.

Usually, the expenditure towards the bypass works would be met by the National Highway Authority of India. But this was the first time the state government fully funding the bypass work.