Indore: A newly constructed bridge over the Khirkiya river near Baswan village suffered structural damage before being opened to traffic. The bridge is part of the Rs 3,900 crore Indore-Edlabad National Highway project, developed under the Bharatmala Pariyojana.
Details of the Damaged Stretch
The damaged section falls under the 40-kilometre Dhangaon-to-Balwada stretch, which is being constructed at a cost of Rs 1,001.69 crore and includes a major 12.75-kilometre bridge over the Narmada River.
Extent of Damage
Concrete from the bridge collapsed, exposing the reinforcement structure and leaving a large crater in the slab. To prevent accidents, the contractor deployed barricades, placed stone heaps at both ends of the bridge, and covered the damaged section with gunny bags and soil.
Residents Raise Concerns
Local residents who visited the site filmed the exposed structure, raising concern regarding the quality of the construction and oversight by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).
NHAI's Explanation
NHAI project director Asheesh said the structural damage occurred when an overloaded heavy commercial vehicle entered the under-construction highway, drove onto the bridge and broke down. A rescue operation was subsequently launched to remove the stranded vehicle from the structure. He told TOI that the site management team addressed the situation immediately. The work to recast the damaged slab portion was underway. He clarified that the project is being executed according to the approved engineering designs without compromises on quality control, adding that the highway stretch would only open to the public after undergoing comprehensive load testing.
Investigation Ordered
The project director has sought an official report from the site team to investigate how the heavy vehicle managed to get access to the restricted construction zone and subsequently caused the structural breakdown.
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