Kerala: 15 persons are injured as a floating bridge collapses in Varkala

Due to high tide and strong waves on Saturday night in Thiruvananthapuram, the floating bridge at Varkala Papanassam Beach collapsed, injuring up to fifteen persons, including children.

Seven of the fifteen wounded are receiving care at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College. One of them, a girl, 14, is dependent on a ventilator.

After registering a report, the Varakala police began looking into the event. The Tourism Director has been asked to provide a report as soon as possible by PA Mohammad Riyas, the Minister of Tourism.

There were perhaps twenty individuals on the floating bridge. People, including women and children, fell into the water as a result of the floating bridge’s handrails being beaten by the strong waves.

According to reports, several people are receiving treatment at Varkala Taluk Hospital, while two people with grave conditions have been admitted to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital. According to a DDMA spokesperson, three additional individuals were sent to the MCH later in the evening.

Onlookers and lifeguards said that since there were not many people on board the floating bridge at the time of the occurrence, a serious disaster was avoided. When choppy waves began thrashing against the floating bridge at approximately five o’clock on Saturday evening, an accident occurred.

Everyone who fell into the water and became entangled in the waves was saved by lifeguards and other safety authorities who sprung into action right away. Two of the fifteen were released from the hospital. “The two patients, who are receiving care at MCH, have a serious condition. A girl, 14, is receiving ventillator assistance. Some are receiving care at Taluk Hospital,” a Varkala Police Station police officer said.

The volume of visitors to Varkala Papanasam Beach has surged dramatically since the floating bridge was inaugurated. The agency was allegedly operating the floating bridge over its scheduled hours, which sparked complaints.

“After six o’clock at night, they shouldn’t be using the floating bridge. However, there is a significant rush and lengthy line to cross the floating bridge, thus it is only open after 6 p.m. According to an official, “They operated the bridge with restricted entry because the sea has been rough the past few days and high tide is dangerous.”

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued advisories against swimming due to severe weather. The public has also been advised not to visit beaches by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA). The tourist agency let the floating bridge to operate in spite of all of these warnings, which ultimately resulted in the catastrophe. In the state, there have been two documented incidents involving floating bridges. The most recent one took place in Chavakkad in Thrissur in November of last year.

At a cost of Rs 1.25 crores each, the floating bridges are being installed in every district in the state as part of a PPP project.

operating a floating bridge without the necessary clearances

Green groups have taken issue with the Tourism Department’s introduction of water sports and floating bridge. “The project has a great deal of irregularity. Without getting approval from the Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority, the District Disaster Management Authority, the State Pollution Control Board, or the Varkala Municipality, the floating bridge’s operations were initiated at Varkala. According to Sanjeev S. J. of the Environmental Protection and Research Council, “We brought it up with the authorities.”