Ponnani (Malappuram, Kerala): The proposed Howrah-model suspension bridge at Ponnani has been caught in a dispute over the proposed shipyard, leaving more than 200 families who were ready to surrender their land in uncertainty.

Land acquisition for the bridge connecting Ponnani and Padinjarekkara was temporarily halted after the previous government decided that the proposed alignment could interfere with the shipbuilding yard project. The decision came when the compensation process for families giving up land and buildings for the bridge had reached its final stage.

The Roads and Bridges Development Corporation asked the Land Acquisition Authority to temporarily stop the proceedings after a proposal emerged to change the alignment of the suspension bridge.

As many as 214 families in Ponnani and Padinjarekkara had agreed to surrender their land, including buildings, for the project. At the final-stage hearing scheduled for January 22, the plan was to complete the scrutiny of documents and proceed with the disbursement of compensation.

The Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) had sanctioned Rs 38 crore to compensate families losing their land and buildings. However, the acquisition process was put on hold for the proposed Ponnani (Malappuram) shipbuilding yard.

For the Howrah-model bridge project, 13 families between Courtpadi and Hospitalpadi in Ponnani were also prepared to surrender their land and houses.

Although the acquisition proceedings have been suspended, the affected families are now unable to freely sell or mortgage the land involved.

The suspension of the acquisition process has left families who had prepared to surrender their properties in uncertainty. They had expected the compensation process to move forward after the documents were verified.

The bridge project itself has also been stalled, while the proposed shipbuilding yard remains uncertain, according to the report. This has led to resentment among families who had agreed to give up their properties for the larger public infrastructure project.

The Howrah-model suspension bridge was planned across the Ponnani estuary, with a length of about 400 metres. The proposed bridge would be four lanes wide and have a total width of 24 metres.

Two lanes would be used for vehicular traffic, while the remaining space was planned for a cycle track and a viewing gallery.

The bridge was designed to stand 16 feet above the water level, allowing ships to pass through the estuary. A 200-metre gap was planned between the bridge's supporting pillars to facilitate water transport.

On the Ponnani side, the project also envisaged a 2.5-kilometre-long elevated section.