Almost four years after a survey by a state-appointed panel deemed 58 bridges in the city dangerous and recommended urgent repairs,the civic administration is yet to take any concrete action. While consultants were appointed almost a year ago,no fresh survey or testing of the condition of the bridges has been done. Four consultants were appointed by the civic administration last July to survey and submit a preliminary report after the Standing Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) had instructed the BMC to carry out a detailed structural investigation of bridges tagged dangerous. The STAC had instructed the civic roads and bridges department to carry out a detailed probe of 34 of the 58 bridges (which fall under BMC jurisdiction) tagged dangerous in November 2009. It was then expected that structural consultants will be immediately appointed to determine the strength of the bridges. Last monsoon,the railing of a foot overbridge at Santacruz collapsed,just days after a part of a bridge in Charni road had given way. The consultants were supposed to submit a detailed investigation report and suggest the scheme of work for the repair and rehabilitation of these bridges by the end of last year. According to a senior official,based on results of various tests which the consultants should carry out,such as ultrasonic pulse velocity tests,non-destructive tests,hammer tests,crack measurements,carbonation,etc depending on the site situation,the BMC along with the STAC will sit together and see if any additional repairs need to be carried out. According to a senior official in the bridges department,The consultants will soon start the work of survey and testing of the bridges. We expect them to finish the work before monsoon. It is not only the private consultants but the BMC itself which is not giving a serious ear to the suggestions of the STAC,which had this month recommended that the civic body should create a separate post of Chief Engineer of Bridges. Currently,the BMC has a post of Chief Engineer of Roads,Traffic and Bridges handled by one official. The chairman of STAC,N V Merani,said,We have been asking for a separate post to be created for the bridges department for many years now. Both previous municipal commissioners had agreed to look into the matter,but nothing has been done. Constructing proper bridges is a matter of high safety and convenience for the people. A person might be well-versed with road engineering,but bridges need a different kind of expertise. The STAC also suggested that the engineers in the bridges department should undergo a bridge engineering course and training to understand the nuances of bridges as an important infrastructure. The officials handling bridge engineering are usually transferred from other departments and they do not necessarily have the knowhow. We have suggested institutes such as IIT,which offer courses on bridge repair and rehabilitation,or such special courses, said Merani. According to Additional Municipal Commissioner Aseem Gupta,After the STAC recommendation,we have been deliberating upon the need to create a special post for Chief Engineer of bridges. Meanwhile,we have been strengthening the department by filling some vacant posts of engineers at the lower level.
