The urgent need to conserve a pair of heritage bridges that linked the mainland with West Kochi is once again in the spotlight, with innumerable galvanised iron (GI) struts beneath the Harbour Bridge that was built at Thoppumpady in 1937 found to be corroded, on Friday.
Light motor vehicles and their smaller counterparts continue to use the bridge that links Willingdon Island with West Kochi, while its sister structure — Venduruthy bridge that linked the mainland with the island remained out of bounds for vehicles after a parallel bridge was constructed over a decade ago.
With images and video footage of noticeable damage caused by corrosion and slack upkeep of the Harbour Bridge doing rounds, a team of officials of the Public Works department (PWD - bridges wing) and social activists inspected the structure.
