Army to build two bridges at Pampa near Sabarimala

Sabarimala, Pathanamthitta: The Travancore Devasom Board on Friday decided to handover the construction of bridges across Pampa River, which changed course following the recent deluge, to the Indian Army.

Pampa washed away pilgrim infrastructure on the banks of the river, including two bridges, and causing damage of Rs 100 crore in Sabarimala alone.

The devasom board also decided to impose a ban on the construction of concrete buildings on the banks of the eponymous river flowing in the vicinity of the popular pilgrimage centre.

One of the bridges will be prefabricated and will be put in place before September 15. It will be 12-metre wide Bailey bridge and could be used for the movement of ambulances and small vehicles. The other one will be a foot bridge.

Vehicles will be allowed only up to Nilakkal. Only KSRTC buses will get permission to go up to Pampa.

The mud piled up in rain and flood will be cleared and bridge work started soon so that pilgrims can trek to Sabarimala. The trekking is banned now. It was also decided to build temporary washrooms at Pampa. A proposal to make the route from KSTRC depot to Pampa a one-way facility will be discussed with the forest department.

Devaswom Board secretary K R Jyothilal was assigned the task of holding talks with the army headquarters and the defence secretary on the bridge construction.

Minister Kadakampally Surendran has already taken up this matter with Major Ashish Updayay in a separate meeting.

The flood in Pampa River was caused as the sluice gates of Kakki and Anathode dams, that forms a part of the Sabarigiri project was opened after heavy rains.

The Pampa in spate, changed its course at Pampa-Triveni in the foothills of Sabarimala, washing away resting rooms, the Triveni car parking and the Ramamurthy Mandapam with a capacity to accommodate 4,000 pilgrims.