Munnar residents demand Bailey bridge to manage tourist surge

As another Neelakurinji flowering season approaches, the local panchayat has demanded that the government construct a Bailey bridge in Munnar town to manage the expected surge of tourists during the upcoming Onam festival and blooming season. Traffic on the main route connecting Munnar town on the Kochi–Dhanushkodi National Highway was disrupted last month after the rains caused a mudslide. A road had also caved in near the Munnar CSI church. Since these incidents, vehicular movement has been diverted to a narrow bridge near the Munnar police station.

According to Munnar panchayat president S. Vijayakumar, the current bridge is too narrow and structurally weakened, having previously suffered damage during the August 2018 floods. “When the highway route along the CSI church was disrupted, all vehicles from Adimaly, Marayur, and nearby areas were forced to use this narrow bridge to enter the town, resulting in hours-long traffic jams,” said the president.