The reconstructed Palarivattom flyover will reopen for the public from today evening. With the Assembly elections nearing and the poll of conduct is in effect, Public Works Department (PWD) minister G Sudhakaran informed that no official function would take place.
According to reports, National Highway chief engineer M Ashok Kumar will open the flyover to the traffic. Though Sudharkaran said there would be no official function, it is reported that he will visit the reconstructed flyover.
On October 12, 2016, the flyover was inaugurated, but due to irregularities in the construction, it was closed for traffic on May 1, 2019, owing to public safety. According to reports, over 2,000 big and small cracks were detected on the girders and pier caps.
The Kerala government handed the flyover to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to reconstruct the flyover. DMRC was supposed to begin construction of the flyover in October 2019 and finish by June 2020. However, the construction was delayed due to various reasons. DMRC Principal Advisor E Sreedharan had recommended reconstructing the pier caps and girders to ensure the structure’s longevity.
The construction began under the watchful eyes of Sreedharan in October 2020 and finished in record time. A load test was satisfactorily completed on the four-lane flyover.
