Earlier, there were major proposals to protect the bridge as a monument. However, they remained only on paper. Now, with a wooden panel in the middle of the bridge collapsing, one of the landmark structures in Kochi’s history may soon die a natural death.
As always there were no dearth of proposals to protect the bridge. A bunch of agencies, including the state tourism department, the Kochi Corporation, the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC), the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) and the Cochin Port Trust figured in the proposals at different stages.
Last we heard Union Minister K V Thomas himself planning to take up the issue with the state government. Alas! nothing materialised.
An engineering marvel of Kochi, the concept was to protect the structure as a monument. The bridge was weak for sometime due to the heavy traffic flow and lack of maintenance. The bridge has been in a dilapidated state for some time. After the commissioning of the new bridge parallel to the old bridge in 2001, traffic on the old bridge was restricted for two and three-wheelers. But no major maintenance work was undertaken after the commissioning of the new bridge.
A slice of history
Built by Sir Robert Bristow, the brain behind the Cochin Port Trust, the Mattanchery old bridge was built to connect Willingdon Island to Mattanchery, the then trading hub. The construction of the bridge was completed in 1938 and opened for traffic in 1940.
Failed
proposals
In October 2003, the government issued an order announcing that the Department of Tourism has taken over the bridge and will preserve it as a protected monument. The order also said that the government would implement a project with the participation of private investors. After the government order was issued, the Cochin Port Trust, which had been maintaining the bridge, withdrew from the responsibility. The Port decided that it cannot spend money for a bridge which is not being used by them.
In May 2010, the district administration announced a slew of measures to conserve the over 70-year-old Mattanchery Harbour Bridge. The administration reviewed the earlier project report and asked a private agency to revise the project. Discussions were also held to decide on whether the bridge should be handed over to a private agency or entrusted with the PWD. But there has been no further development in this regard.
Future
The future of the bridge is uncertain. Apart from discussions and review meetings, the district administration is yet to take a clear-cut action. One thing is sure. With two-wheelers and three-wheelers being diverted to the Mattanchery toll bridge, traffic bottlenecks are going to be a regular affair in this area.
A dream in vain
It was Union Minister of State for Agriculture K V Thomas who first mooted the proposal to preserve the bridge. He had started campaigning for it when he was the state tourism minister.
The proposal was to create a walkway and restaurant along the bridge and convert it into a monument. However, the plan reached nowhere.In May this year K V Thomas again took up the issue with Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. But nothing materialised.
