Iconic Valiyathura sea bridge snaps in half, promise of fixing damages remains undelivered
Thiruvananthapuram: The sea bridge at Valiyathura (known by the names Raithura or Rajathura) here on Friday morning snapped into two. The bridge had been deteriorating and one side of it collapsed today around 8 am due to tidal waves.
Two years back, the entry gate of the bridge was bent. During the visit to the spot, the then Ports minister Ahammed Devarkovil had assured that the damages would be repaired. However, there was no follow-up.
The sea bridge or pier was one of the iconic landmarks of Valiyathura. The 214-metre pier was opened in 1825. A ship, named MV Pandit, had crashed on to the bridge in 1947, destroying the structure and killing many people.
The incident triggered massive protests. Later the pier was reconstructed in 1959.