KOCHI: The Palarivattom Bridge, demolished and reconstructed by a team led by Metro Man E Sreedharan, has been opened for transportation. The bridge was opened to the public at 4 pm. There was no official function as the election code of conduct has come into effect. DMRC officials came to witness the opening of the bridge.

Minister G Sudhakaran was the first passenger from Edappally. CPM district secretary C N Mohanan accompanied the minister. He also congratulated Metro Man E Sreedharan for completing the bridge on time. He lauded E Sreedharan, DMRC and Uralungal Society for the speedy completion of the bridge. CPM activists held a bike rally across the bridge greeting the government. Soon after that the BJP activists’ congratulated E Sreedharan.

Although the bridge became a reality on October 12, 2016, it was damaged within six months. The bridge was closed on May 1, 2019 for repairs due to cracks noticed in the pier caps. The Palarivattom Bridge later witnessed unparalleled controversy and political turmoil. The bridge is being reopened just before the assembly elections. The final finishing touches to the bridge were completed last night. When it took 28 months to construct the first bridge at Palarivattom, in just five months and 10 days, the DMRC and the Uralungal Labor Society reconstructed the bridge.