The 64-year-old Cherai Bridge in Kerala’s Ernakulam district is showing extensive signs of deterioration, including damaged concrete, exposed reinforcement bars and failing approach-road retaining walls, prompting local residents to demand an urgent safety inspection by the Public Works Department.
The bridge connects Vypin island with the Munambam area and carries thousands of vehicles of different sizes each day. It also serves as a principal gateway to Cherai, one of the region’s major tourist destinations. According to a report by Mathrubhumi, concrete has fallen away from several parts of the structure, while the underside beams show signs of ageing and inadequate maintenance.
The bridge is supported by 64 pillars installed in the Veeranpuzha. Concrete layers have broken away from a majority of the pillars, leaving reinforcement bars exposed. The condition has raised concerns about the bridge’s strength, although the report does not cite an official structural assessment declaring the bridge unsafe.
Vegetation, including banyan trees and grass, has also grown in several parts of the bridge. Such growth is visible around beams and girders and could contribute to cracks and further deterioration, according to the report. Tourists and other visitors frequently stop vehicles on or near the bridge to take photographs, adding to the need for attention to both structural and roadside safety conditions.
The bridge has also recently been carrying heavy container vehicles and other large vehicles on a regular basis. The report says the additional traffic could worsen the deterioration of the ageing structure. Drinking-water pipelines running alongside the bridge’s parallel beams and several cable networks are also attached to or near the structure, making any future repair or reconstruction work an infrastructure-coordination challenge.
The bridge’s approach roads are reported to be in poor condition as well. Retaining walls on both sides have collapsed or subsided in places, while stacked stones have loosened and soil erosion has been observed. Further erosion could weaken the remaining stone walls and affect the roads below the approaches, creating a risk beyond the bridge deck itself.
The Cherai Bridge has historical importance for Vypin island, which was once separated from Kerala’s mainland and depended on waterways and smaller bridges for access. The demand for a bridge connecting Vypin to the outside world had emerged by the late 1940s. Construction of the 330-foot-long and 22-foot-wide bridge was completed on 29 September 1960, according to the report. After the approach roads were completed, the bridge was opened on Republic Day, 26 January 1961, by then Kerala Chief Minister Pattom A. Thanu Pillai.
Residents are calling on Public Works Department authorities to inspect the bridge’s structural condition without delay. The report does not specify whether a formal inspection, traffic restriction or reconstruction plan has yet been announced.
