Barak bridge on the verge of collapse

June 20: The first cantilever bridge over the Barak in Silchar is groaning with age and it is only time before one of its arms gives way under tonnes of traffic.

Built as a crucial link between Silchar and the eastern flank of Cachar district, including the vintage airport at Kumbhirgram, the bridge was hastily opened to traffic during a devastating flood in May 1966 without any formal inauguration.

For the past 42 years, the 472-metre-long and 7.5-metre- wide structure built by Gammon India Ltd has borne the weight of Silchar’s urgency to cross the Barak and reach the airport and other parts of eastern Cachar.

On an average, 400 vehicles cross the bridge every hour.

But as is the case with most public structures in the country, lack of maintenance has taken a toll on the centre of the bridge where the two arms of the cantilevers meet.

Engineers of the national highway division of the Public Works Department now doubt the bridge’s ability to withstand the pressure of rush-hour traffic.

The executive engineer of the national highway division of PWD, Anjan Chanda, said cracks in the bridge’s joints were first detected in 1999.

Concerned, the PWD engineers suggested that it be inspected by their senior officers and experts from the ministry of national highways.

The first survey was conducted in June 2000.

The team agreed that a flyover needs to be built over the Barak to take the load off the cantilever bridge.

Plans were made but remained firmly on paper owing to lack of initiative.

Chanda then suggested that a device called Exjomet C-160 be used to replace the joints. Metallic shims, pieces of metal with rubber soles that act as shock absorbers, could be used as cushions, he said.

The device would prevent further damage but this was a stop-gap method.

A permanent measure needs to be thrashed out without delay, he said.

A team from the ministry of surface transport and national highways inspected the bridge, but is yet to submit its report. Source: telegraphindia