The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Team to study fitness of bridge

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 20, 2007
ePaper

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Team to study fitness of bridge

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: A day after construction defects were noticed in the newly-built Muslim Jung Bridge across the Musi, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) issued notice to the contractor for initiating action against him.

The services of its empanelled structural engineer – Descon Associates, too has been kept in abeyance since the agency had rechecked the original designs made by Consulting Engineering Services and submitted the final designs for execution. These were also approved by the then Chief Engineer of MCH.

Commissioner and Special Officer C.V.S.K. Sarma has said that cracks were found on the pier caps of P5 to P9 executed by the contractor – P. Narasimha Rao & Company and immediate restoration work was started to avoid any further damage to the structure.

The four member expert committee -- Prof. Mahesh Tandon, bridge expert from New Delhi, P.G. Venkataraman of L&T Ramboll, Prof. Ramana Rao of JNTU and Jaswant Kumar, Superintending Engineer of Roads & Buildings, would do a detailed investigation of structure and find out reasons for anomalies noticed in its construction.

They would also be suggesting a remedial measure within a definite time frame. Already five engineers have been placed under suspension and action was recommended against two more holding them responsible for the design approval, execution of work and also quality control pending investigation.

Initial study has indicated that the defects might have occurred due to design default or defective detailing by the contractor. Narasimha Rao & Company was entrusted with the work in May 2004 at 9.90 per cent excess over the estimated value with of Rs. 4.52 crore following cancellation of work allotted to National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) and calling of fresh tenders.

NBCC stopped work after completing six piers of the nine and four pier caps of nine valued at Rs. 1.05 crore. Further work was held up due to land acquisition problems. It was not opened for traffic as approach roads and some balance work was yet to be completed when the defects came to the fore.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh