Kozhikode: On August 1, the Madras Engineering Group of the Indian Army successfully completed the construction of a 190-foot-long Bailey bridge in Wayanad district. This bridge will play a crucial role in connecting the areas of Mundakkai and Chooralmala, which were severely impacted by landslides on July 30. The construction began at 9:30 p.m. on July 31 and was completed by 5:30 p.m. on August 1.
Major General V.T. Mathew, General Officer Commanding of the Kerala and Karnataka Sub-Area, was the first to cross the newly completed bridge in his official vehicle. The Bailey bridge, with a weight-carrying capacity of 24 tonnes, links Chooralmala with Mundakkai over the Iruvazhinjipuzha river.
In a post on X, the Defence PRO highlighted the swift action of the Indian Army, stating, “From #Landslide to #Lifeline. When nature knocked down a bridge, #IndianArmy swiftly constructed a more resilient one. True to form, the Army Commander fearlessly led the way across the #BaileyBridge.”
After the Commander’s vehicle, the Army medical unit and a military truck also traversed the bridge before it was handed over to the civil administration.
The bridge that previously connected Mundakkai and Chooralmala was destroyed in the landslides on July 30. In response, rescue workers initially constructed temporary wooden bridges, but these were also washed away during heavy rains on July 31. Materials for the new bridge were transported to Wayanad from Kannur airport via 17 trucks, having been flown in from Delhi and Bengaluru.
Major General Mathew has been overseeing the Army’s rescue operations in the area.
