Structure, built in 1959, withstands back-to-back attempts to dismantle it

The old railway overbridge (ROB) in Kottayam, which was deemed ‘structurally insufficient’ to cater to the growth of Kottayam town, proved not so weak when it withstood two back-to-back attempts of implosion.

The first attempt for the controlled explosion at the eastern end was made around 12.15 p.m. but it failed to take down the structure. A second implosion was made on the other end of the structure around 5.10 p.m., but to no avail.

People who gathered at the Nehru stadium nearby to watch the process reacted with gasps as the explosives went off but then broke into murmurs and laughter on both the occasions.

Railways drop plan

The railway authorities reviewed the failed attempts and decided to drop the plans to demolish the structure through implosion. “The structure is too strong to bring it down using explosives. A decision on taking it down through conventional methods will be taken later. A lot of factors, including regulation of services, need to be considered ahead of making a final decision,” said a railway official.

Traffic restored

Following a safety and engineering inspection of the structure, it was decided to restore the rail traffic along the route. Accordingly, the covers on the tracks were removed and the overhead electric cables were reinstalled. “The traffic resumed by 8.20 p.m. The Thiruvananthapuram- Chennai Superfast was the first train to pass through the stretch, followed by the Vanchinadu Express,” said a railway official.

The train services from Kottayam remained disrupted during the day, with most passenger trains being cancelled. The long-haul services were diverted through Alappuzha.

The old ROB with its striking arc beams on both sides — established in 1959 and upgraded 15 years later — was replaced by a new structure last year as part of track-doubling work between Ettumanur and Chingavanam and the second phase expansion of MC Road.

Though the department had initially planned a piecemeal takedown of the structure, the time involved in completing the process forced the authorities to come up an alternative plan.