In a move that has sparked debate over civic priorities, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has sanctioned substantial funds for the decorative painting of city bridges, even as serious structural safety concerns loom over its ageing infrastructure. This decision comes against the backdrop of the ongoing expert inspection of the closed Subhash Bridge and follows a major bridge collapse in the state earlier this year.
Safety Concerns Take a Backseat?
The AMC's standing committee recently gave its nod to a proposal worth Rs 2.61 crore for decorative painting work on 12 flyovers and railway overbridges located in the eastern parts of Ahmedabad. The list includes prominent structures like the CTM, Vatva, Thakkarbapanagar, and Rajendra Park flyovers. Officials have also decided to undertake similar aesthetic enhancements on bridges in the city's western zone, with work on the Income Tax Bridge already finished.
This focus on aesthetics appears in stark contrast to the pressing structural issues faced by other bridges. The Subhash Bridge was closed to traffic on December 4 after signs of settlement were detected, and a detailed safety inspection by experts is currently underway. The closure has disrupted daily commutes and put the spotlight on the health of the city's infrastructure.
A Reaction to Tragedy and a Flawed System
The current scrutiny of Ahmedabad's bridges was triggered by the tragic collapse of the Gambhira Bridge near Vadodara on July 9. This incident prompted the Gujarat state government to order immediate inspections of all bridges in Ahmedabad, along with urgent repairs and replacement of bearings where necessary.
These inspections revealed a significant procedural gap: the AMC did not have any approved rate tender in place specifically for bridge repair works. To bypass this hurdle and expedite critical repairs, the civic body approved a proposal—without floating a fresh tender—to assign urgent repair and bearing replacement work on three key bridges to a single contractor. A total of Rs 21 crore was sanctioned for repair and replacement of elastomeric bearings on the Sardar Bridge, Gandhi Bridge, and Parikshitalal Majmudar Bridge.
Notably, despite the statewide directive, the need for repairs on the now-closed Subhash Bridge was not highlighted during that initial assessment phase.
Questions Over Priorities and Procurement
As experts continue to examine the settled Subhash Bridge, questions are being raised on multiple fronts. Critics are focusing on the lack of regular, transparent tenders for essential bridge repair works following safety inspections. The practice of awarding contracts without competitive bidding raises concerns about cost efficiency and accountability.
Simultaneously, the approval of crores for decorative painting while a major bridge remains shut for safety reasons has drawn criticism from citizens and observers alike. Many argue that the civic body's priority should be ensuring structural integrity and public safety through rigorous maintenance and timely repairs, rather than cosmetic enhancements.
The situation highlights a complex challenge for urban governance: balancing immediate aesthetic upkeep with long-term, capital-intensive structural safety in an era of ageing public infrastructure.
