The damaged Palarivattom flyover in Kochi will be demolished and reconstructed within eight months, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said here on Thursday.
The chief minister said former MD of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) E Sreedharan has been entrusted with the task to reconstruct the bridge.
Vijayan said he spoke to Sreedharan about the project earlier in the day. “Sreedharan has ensured that the works can be completed within eight months,” he said.
When asked whether the cost incurred in rebuilding the flyover will be recovered from the company, which had constructed the faulty bridge or those against whom the probe was on, he said such matters will be decided by the court.
The chief minister announced the reconstruction plan a day after the Supreme Court allowed the government to demolish and reconstruct the structure which is at the centre of a political scam in the state.
The government had earlier decided to demolish the structure based on the findings of Sreedharan as well as a team of experts from IIT-Madras. However, the Kerala High Court stayed the decision and ordered to conduct a load test to assess the strength of the structure. The state government moved the apex court challenging this order.
The chief minister said Sreedharan’s finding was that the flyover has to be reconstructed as mere rectification works would not be suffice.
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