Kannur: To facilitate repair and maintenance work on railway bridges in Kerala, footpaths (side pathways) will be constructed for workers to safely move around. These safety paths will be built alongside the tracks on one side of the bridge, approximately one metre wide. This will enable engineering staff and other workers to carry out their tasks safely on the bridge deck. The first phase will focus on large bridges, with single-span bridges to follow in the second phase. Construction is nearly complete on bridges including the one at Valapattanam in Kannur.

The Valapattanam bridge, which is 360 metres long, consists of 12 spans. Currently, girder railway bridges do not have any footpaths. Concrete bridges have walkways constructed along the sides. During repair work, when a train approaches, the trolley is removed, and railway personnel stand aside. It is forbidden for the public to walk on these pathways according to railway regulations.

When a train halts over a river bridge

In cases of emergency brakes being pulled by passengers or other mechanical failures, trains often come to a halt on river bridges. When a train stops, the pressure valve must be reset before it can move again. At present, passengers cannot exit via the sides. The only alternative exists in the coaches’ vestibule, which is challenging as it requires passengers to descend beneath the train between two coaches. With the new footpaths, workers and officials will be able to disembark quickly, reset the pressure valve, and restart the train more safely and efficiently.

On September 6, when passengers pulled the emergency brake, the train was stationary over the Valapattanam river bridge. Early in the morning, ticket inspector M P Ramesh bravely descended onto the train tracks and resolved the issue.