HC tells collector to consider issue of reopening Munnar glass bridge

Kochi: High court has directed the district collector of Idukki to consider, within a month, the issue of resuming the operation of a glass bridge at Anachal in Munnar for tourism-related activities, in light of a study report submitted by NIT Calicut.A bench of Justices P Gopinath and Johnson John issued the order in an appeal filed by Neonova Munnar LLP, the operators of the glass bridge. A single bench had earlier declined to stay the district collector's order directing the stoppage of the bridge's operation.The collector had halted the operation of the glass bridge noting that it was constructed without permission from Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society. While refusing to grant a stay, the single bench had observed that, since the matter involved public safety, the question of issuing an interim order staying the collector's order did not arise. This prompted the petitioners to move HC again.The operators submitted that, following the stop memo, a safety study was conducted on the glass bridge by National Institute of Technology (NIT), Calicut. Based on this report, Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society had issued a communication on April 16 stating that the bridge is safe.Meanwhile, the Pallivasal panchayat secretary submitted that the petitioners had not obtained permission from the panchayat for constructing the bridge. It was also submitted that the matter ultimately falls within the jurisdiction of the collector, who had already issued the order.Accordingly, HC directed the collector to reconsider the matter within a month, after hearing all the parties involved.