No structural audit but all bridges in Nagpur district stand strong: PWD

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RTI reply reveals PWD has done no structural audit of 90% bridges

Nagpur: There are 535 small-big bridges that come under jurisdiction of Public Works Department (PWD) Nagpur Circle but structural audit of only 20 bridges has been conducted. This information was revealed in an RTI reply provided by PWD. The structural audit reveals the strength as well as weakness in any bridge.

However, no structural audit done of over 90 percent bridges in Nagpur district is a serious matter but the PWD says it has found that none of them is in dangerous condition. There is no need for immediate structural audit of these bridges, PWD has said in response to an RTI query posed by activist Abhay Kolarkar.

Kolarkar had sought information about findings of structural audit of bridges under PWD in Nagpur district, during the period from January 2016 to June 2019. PWD, Nagpur Circle, informed that structural audit conducted by PWD showed that none of the audited bridges was in dangerous condition. PWD Nagpur Circle has 535 small and big bridges in Nagpur district. Of these, the bridge on River Kanhan dates back to British Raj era. Structural audit revealed that it was also safe. Still, considering that the bridge had completed its estimated duration, it was closed for heavy vehicles and only light vehicles were allowed to use it. As the alternative route was available through bridge on National Highway, preventing heavy vehicles from using Kanhan bridge was not creating any problem, PWD stated in its reply to Kolarkar.

The structural audit of Kanhan bridge was conducted by S C G Consultancy, Mumbai. The bridges of which audit was conducted were as follows: bridge on Kamptee, Waregaon, Dahegaon road across river Kolar; bridge across river Pench on Khapa, Parseoni, Amdi road; bridge across river Kanhan on Ramtek-Mouda road; bridge across river Sur on Kanhan, Tarsa, Aroli road; bridge across river Wardha on Nagpur, Katol, Jalalkheda road. The other bridges of which structural audit was conducted included minor bridges on Sawargaon, Narkhed, Mowad road; Dahegaon, Gumgaon, Salai Dabha, Takalghat road; Hingna, Gumgaon, Dongargaon, Khasarmari, Kaldongri, Hudkeshwar road; Brahmani, Gavsut, Umred, Butibori; Songaon, Bela, Sirsi road; Bidpeth, Hudkeshwar, Matkazari, Khapri, Dawwa, Champa road; Bela, Thana, Matkazari, Pachgaon, Surgaon, Shegaon, Udasa, Velsakhari road; Khapri, Pachgaon, Kuhi, Mandhal, Ambhora road; and Virkhandi, Tarna, Chanoda road.

Between January 1, 2016 and June 30, 2019, PWD constructed 16 bridges including 13 minor and three major ones.