Residents alarmed as stairs to A L Jacob RoB separate from main structure

KOCHI: The stairs that provide access for pedestrians to the A L Jacob rail overbridge (RoB) are in danger of collapsing. According to local residents, the structure has separated from the bridge. Considering the precarious situation, the residents in the area are planning to launch an agitation.

“The entire structure has separated from the bridge by around 20cm. It is unstable and lots of people are using it daily. It might not be long before the structure collapses, and it would be tragic if that happens when someone is on it. So, we, the residents, have decided to do something about it and get the attention of the officials,” Ajay Kumar, a resident of Udaya Colony, told TNIE.

The RoB, commissioned in 2013 by the then chief minister Oommen Chandy, is a vital one that provides access from Gandhinagar to MG Road and vice-versa, he said. According to Ajeesh K S, another resident, even the side walls of the structure have caved in at some places.

“Holes have developed on the walls and it is crumbling,” he pointed out. Lack of maintenance is the main reason cited behind the situation. “As the years go by, the soil underneath settles. This happens after every rain and flooding. As the soil settles, the structure too goes down. This can be seen by the amount of separation that has developed,” he said.

The residents have demanded that the authorities set up warning boards. “It is of utmost importance that immediate remedial measures are taken to protect the structure,” Ajay said.

In 2022, it was found that the approach structure of the RoB had developed cracks after it sank. A L Jacob RoB is a shortcut that connects MG Road to places like Kathrikadavu, Kaloor, Thammanam, and
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Kadavanthra.