Kerala CM opens Perumbalam bridge, the state's longest bridge over a backwater stretch
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the 1,155.40-metre Perumbalam bridge across Vembanad Lake in Alappuzha district on 7 March 2026, giving Perumbalam island its first road link to the mainland.
Summary
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the Perumbalam bridge across Vembanad Lake in Alappuzha district on 7 March 2026, giving the residents of Perumbalam island a direct road link to the mainland. The bridge connects the island with Arookutty panchayat in the Aroor constituency and is the longest bridge in Kerala built over a backwater stretch. It is 1,155.40 metres long and 11 metres wide, with 27 spans of 35 metres and three bow-string arch spans of 55 metres so that boat traffic on the lake is not blocked. The project was included in the 2016-17 state budget and built at a cost of ₹100 crore with funding from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB).
Key facts
- Date and place
- 7 March 2026, Perumbalam, Alappuzha district, Kerala
- Across
- Vembanad Lake
- Length
- 1,155.40 m; width 11 m
- Spans
- 27 × 35 m plus 3 bow-string arch spans × 55 m
- Cost
- ₹100 crore, KIIFB funding
- Record
- Kerala's longest bridge over a backwater stretch
Practice MCQs 2 questions
The Perumbalam bridge, inaugurated on 7 March 2026, is built across which water body?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — Vembanad Lake
The Perumbalam bridge spans Vembanad Lake in Alappuzha district, Kerala.
Consider the following statements about the Perumbalam bridge: 1. It is about 1,155 metres long and has three bow-string arch spans so that boats can pass. 2. It was funded by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). Which of the above is/are correct?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct: the 1,155.40-m bridge has three 55-m bow-string arch spans and was built for ₹100 crore with KIIFB funding.