Part of Valiyathura Pier in Thiruvananthapuram collapses

Valiyathura Pier in Thiruvananthapuram crumbles, leaving a historic structure in disrepair and inaccessible, sparking calls for restoration.

A section of the Valiyathura Pier crumbled on Friday morning, splitting the bridge-like structure into two structurally-unsound sections.

Constructed in 1956 to replace an older pier, the 214-m-long concrete structure had been off-limits to visitors as it was regarded as unsafe.

No one was on the pier when a large section, weakened by the constant battering of the waves, broke off around 8 a.m. and crashed into the water, according to local residents. This has left a large part of the pier inaccessible from the land. “Pieces began raining down. The parts of the pier which are still standing are also weak and could go down soon,” Lawrence, a Valiyathura resident, said.

Though ships had long ceased to dock at Valiyathura, the pier had been a big draw for tourists. It was also used by the local fishers to launch their catamarans.

The present condition of the structure is such that restoration would prove to be a difficult, if not impossible, task.

In the past decade, coastal erosion had eaten away at the legs of the pier, rapidly weakening the structure. The Tauktae cyclone, which brought heavy rainfall to Kerala in mid-May 2021, had further weakened the pier and it was declared off-limits. “Entry to the pier is strictly prohibited as it developed cracks and has been seriously damaged in the Taukte cyclone,” reads a a board put up by the Harbour Engineering department at its entrance.

“The people here want the pier. But whether any repair is possible is doubtful,” Milani Pereira, ward councillor for Beemapally, said.