Journalism of Courage
Presents
Co-presented by
Associate Sponsor
Premium
52-year old Subhash Bridge will be restored, not demolished: Ahmedabad civic body
Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani told The Indian Express that based on the structural inspection report, the decision not to open the Subhash Bridge has been taken as of now.
AMC has assigned several structural and technical experts to assess the structural strength of the bridge and explore possible repair options, including premier institutions such as Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, IIT Bombay, IIT Gandhinagar, and Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology (SVNIT), Surat.
The over 50-year-old Subhash Bridge – a critical nerve connecting east-west across the Sabarmati River near the Sardar Vallabhbhai International Airport – will not be pulled down but restored, authorities said on Wednesday.
The authorities also said that a proposal for a new bridge – either above Subhash Bridge or beside it – has been submitted to the state government for approval.
Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani told The Indian Express that based on the structural inspection report, the decision not to open the Subhash Bridge has been taken as of now.
“The in-depth structural investigation report of the existing bridge has revealed the superstructure has been affected but not the pillars or the foundations. So, this has to be removed and the bridge can be restored,” Banchhanidhi Pani told The Indian Express.
According to reports submitted so far, the bridge is unlikely to be opened for traffic anytime soon. “It might take 9-10 months for the restoration work before it is opened for traffic,” he added.
On December 4, the Bridge Project Department of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation noticed damage in the superstructure of Subhash Bridge and immediately closed the bridge. To ensure a complete technical assessment of the bridge’s safety, AMC – in coordination with the Roads and Building department of the state government and empanelled structural design consultants – initiated a thorough inspection.
Due to the technical structural inspection, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) extended the closure of the bridge to December 25. The bridge was earlier announced on December 4 as “completely closed for traffic” till December 9. Since then, multiple inspections have been conducted. However, due to a heavy traffic area, the sudden closure of the bridge continues to trigger severe traffic congestion.
Story continues below this ad
“We are considering both the possibilities of another new bridge above this existing one or beside it. In both cases, most probably it will be a two-lane bridge as the feasibility of a four-lane bridge does not indicate a wider bridge,” Pani added.
AMC has assigned several structural and technical experts to assess the structural strength of the bridge and explore possible repair options, including premier institutions such as Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, IIT Bombay, IIT Gandhinagar, and Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology (SVNIT), Surat.
During the initial visit by specialists of the 52-year-old bridge, a recommendation was made to carry out an in-depth investigation of the existing bridge foundation. Acting on this recommendation, AMC assigned a specialised agency to conduct the testing of the foundation. The testing work of the foundation is currently in progress. Alongside this, a comprehensive technical examination of the present foundation of Subhash Bridge is underway at an accelerated pace. Expert agencies are also employing modern technological methods to conduct the investigation.
Advertisement
Loading Taboola...
Top Stories
Live Blog
Advertisement