Govt mulls bridging Vivekananda memorial, Tiruvalluvar statue

According to a Highways Department official, a 140-metre long truss bridge would link Vivekananda memorial and the 133-feet tall statue of Tiruvalluvar in the Kanniyakumari district.

As of now, tourists currently reach the memorial and the statue by passenger boats, which are operated by the Poompuhar Shipping Corporation. The ferry service is being operated from 8 am to 4 pm daily. “However, tourists have to wait for two to three hours to board the ferry during peak season. On an average, 20 lakh tourists visits both the spots on the sea every year,” said the official.

The official added that the tourists are often unable to visit the poet-philosopher’s statue as boat services are halted if weather is bad. “During low tide, it is difficult to operate ferries from Vivekananda Rock Memorial to Tiruvalluvar statue. This has prompted the authorities to consider a bridge linking the two memorials that are located nearby at the meeting point of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean,” the official said, adding, that once the bridge is constructed, the tourists can take the ferry to the Vivekananda memorial and then visit the statue through the marine bridge which itself would become a new attraction.

The Highways Department has invited the request for expression of interest for the construction of the bridge on design, build operate and transfer basis, the official said, adding that the bid would be opened next week.