KOCHI: It’s a landmark in Kochi. The Rainbow Bridge at Marine Drive has been a part of the city’s identity for a long time now. But it was in a sorry state with the GCDA authorities disfiguring the bridge by placing advertisements on it. But now they have been forced to remove them following protest by the architect who designed it 18 years ago. “The Rainbow Bridge is an iconic structure in the city and the GCDA is using it to generate revenue by leasing out the snack bars below the bridge on both sides. But all these years they have done nothing towards its maintenance,” says Lalichan Zacharia who designed the bridge. “My design was selected since they wanted an iconic structure representing the city. But by placing advertisements senselessly they marred the beauty of the whole structure,” he says. Lalichan is planning a mass protest on July 2. “The GCDA need not shell out much for its maintenance work. All it needs to do is to repair the broken strings and paint them. But despite regular appeals the authorities have done nothing so far. There are sponsors who are willing to take up the work. Though the authorities are aware of this they are least bothered,” he says.
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