Glass bridge across the sea to come up in a year: Velu

A state-of-the-art ‘glass floor bridge’ would come up across the sea connecting Tiruvalluvar statue and Vivekananda Rock Memorial at Kanniyakumari, said Minister EV Velu. According priority to the project that would augment tourism revenue, instructions have been given to complete the work within a year, he added.

Designed at an estimated cost of Rs 37 crore, the bridge would be 72 metres long and 10 metres wide. It would enable the thousands of tourists who visit the southern tip of mainland India to walk to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial from the Tiruvalluvar statue, Velu said after inspecting the project site on Saturday. The project would be executed through the Highways Department, which Velu is handling.

With its floor being made of glass, the bridge would give tourists an opportunity to view the sea at the confluence point (Triveni Sangamam) from above. Chief Minister MK Stalin has accorded importance to the project and directed the department to create the facility soon, the Minister told reporters.

Once the tender process is over and works are taken up, the project would be completed in a year, he added.

The 133-foot statue of ancient Tamil Poet and philosopher Tiruvalluvar was commissioned and erected when late DMK president M Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister, Velu pointed out, and charged the AIADMK of not maintaining it properly when it was in power for a decade from 2011.

Information Technology Minister T Mano Thangaraj, Collector M Arvind, SP DN Hari Kiran Prasad and senior officials from the Highways Department accompanied Velu during the inspection.