Nehru Bridge shut; over 200 personnel deployed to ease traffic
Tejas Patel, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP, administration), Ahmedabad city told The Indian Express more than 200 traffic police personnel have been deployed on the stretch covering Nehru, Dadhichi, Sardar, and Gandhi bridges that connect the old Ahmedabad to the new.
3 min read
While the entry of Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service (AMTS) buses on the Ellis Bridge has been stalled, and only two- and four-wheelers are being allowed to use it, Patel added.
WITH THE Nehru Bridge, one of the busiest bridges connecting Ashram Road to the Central Bus Station in Lal Darwaja, closed for repairing and maintenance work for at least 45 days until April 27, the vehicular traffic has been diverted through Ellis Bridge and Gandhi Bridge by the Ahmedabad traffic police.
Tejas Patel, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP, administration), Ahmedabad city told The Indian Express more than 200 traffic police personnel have been deployed on the stretch covering Nehru, Dadhichi, Sardar, and Gandhi bridges that connect the old Ahmedabad to the new.
“We have identified 80 traffic points in and around these four bridges and the staff have been doubled since March 13 to ensure the traffic is smooth. In total, 200-220 traffic police personnel are deployed during peak hours (twice a day) at the crucial points. Since the day traffic on Nehru Bridge has been diverted through Ellis and Gandhi bridges, we have only faced slow vehicle movement in peak hours but not congestions. I request commuters to use Dadhichi Bridge instead of Ellis Bridge, as using the latter to go to the old city leads to Shahpur area where the road is closed for ongoing construction work.”
While the entry of Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service (AMTS) buses on the Ellis Bridge has been stalled, and only two- and four-wheelers are being allowed to use it, Patel added.
Build in 1960, the 442.34-metre-long and 22.80-metre-wide Nehru Bridge will see the replacement of its bearings and extension joints.
“Since the bridge is too old, it requires regular maintenance and repair work. In the ongoing repair and restoration works, its extension joints are to be replaced with new ones along with its bearings. These are to be ripped and then changed,” Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation’s city engineer Hitesh Contractor said. The ripping work is slated to start Tuesday night.
Though the repair work is on for the last two months, it has been closed down recently to undertake work to repair the bearings, Contractor added. Officials said it was last repaired in 1979 though there are no official records maintained on this. A private company, Sanfield India Private Limited, has been handed over the repair and maintenance work at a cost of Rs 3.25 crore.
A total of 12 rocker and roller bearings on 12 pillars, 12 bearings on one pillar – that is a total of 144 bearings — are to be cleaned and greased. Of the 144, 72 are roller bearings and 72 rocker bearings. “The bridge would be lifted from its height for replacement in its bearings. Once changed, it will come to its original place,” Contractor added.
You May Like
