Large FoB Set to Open in Indian State of Kerala

After more than a two-year delay, the Indian state Kerala’s longest foot-over-bridge (FoB) at East Fort in Thiruvananthapuram is nearly set to be commissioned, The New Indian Express says. The official opening of the FoB is set for the second week of May, with some artistic touches to be completed. The official day will be released once Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan returns after treatment in the U.S., according to officials. The crossing was initiated in 2019 as a public/private partner project under the city corporation and Thiruvanathapuram-based Axo Engineers Ltd. The design of the FoB called for an L-shaped bridge in the shape of a fort as part of heritage conservation planning. The system’s equipment was designed with elevators for the elderly and people with disabilities. The project launched in June 2019, and work was expected to be completed in March 2020. However, the pandemic and design concerns raised by the archeology department delayed it. Officials say 16 fatalities in the area were recorded due to heavy traffic on the stretch and the lack of a proper walkway. The design covers 102 m within the skywalk FoB, which is a record in the state. A police aid post will be set up in the area.