Aluva’s Old Marthandavarma Bridge on the National Highway will reopen to vehicles from 6 am after an eight-day closure for strengthening and repair work, MLA Anwar Sadath said. Traffic restrictions on the nearby Desam Bridge will be withdrawn from the following morning after its repair work is completed.
The Old Marthandavarma Bridge was fully closed while the Desam Bridge, located about three kilometres away, operated under partial traffic restrictions. The restrictions on both bridges were introduced from the 28th to enable repair work and manage vehicle movement in the area.
The work on the Old Marthandavarma Bridge included strengthening its expansion joints. Workers removed deteriorated concrete and reinforcement bars from the gaps between sections of the bridge before installing new reinforcement and concrete. The repair work was completed on the night of the 31st, after which the authorities waited for the concrete to cure before reopening the bridge.
The reopening is expected to restore a key road connection for vehicles travelling through Aluva and reduce the dependence on diversion routes and public transport that followed the closure. The report did not specify whether any new weight, speed or lane restrictions would apply after reopening.
The closure had a visible effect on daily activity in Aluva. During the initial days, the city experienced lower traffic levels, while many commuters shifted to buses. Police restrictions on roadside parking were also introduced to manage congestion and maintain movement through the affected areas.
Local traders said business activity was partly affected during the closure. With regular traffic reduced and commuters facing changes to their routes, the city reportedly saw fewer vehicles and less of its usual congestion. The disruption highlighted the dependence of local movement and commercial activity on the bridge network serving Aluva.
Sadath thanked commuters for their patience during the eight-day closure and praised the district police for arranging traffic management measures. He also thanked National Highway authorities and the contractor for working to reopen the bridge two days earlier than originally planned.
Traffic restrictions on the Desam Bridge are scheduled to be removed from 6 am the next day, once its repair work is fully completed. The report did not provide further details on post-repair monitoring or future maintenance arrangements for either bridge.
