NEW DELHI, Aug 11 � Alleging a cover up operation, BJP pointed out that pier No 3 of the under construction bridge over Brahmaputra River parallel to Saraighat Bridge has developed cracks. Use of poor quality cement and design flaws were cited as some of the prime reasons for the fiasco.
In a letter to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Kamal Nath, BJP Guwahati Lok Sabha MP Bijoya Chakravarty has alleged that the project being executed by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) at an estimated cost of Rs 238 crore, has recently developed cracks and it was kept a secret.
In response, Kamal Nath said that he will soon have the matter examined. She also alleged that visit of top officials of NHAI to Italy was sponsored by two big companies involved with the project.
Chakravarty in her letter, a copy of which is with this newspaper, said recently a crack developed at pier No 3 on North Guwahati side.
�Span and IIT Delhi made glaring mistakes in designing this major bridge and some of them are beyond rectifications,� the MP alleged.
Though Chief General Manager and project director of Guwahati NHAI are aware of this, but no action has been taken by NHAI like checking of the entire design and seismic hazard, preventive measures by an independent agency like IIT, Guwahati before taking up further construction to avoid occurrence of major structural and construction problems in future,� the MP opined.
Blaming use of poor quality local cement and other material, Chakravarty charged that it reflected the negligence on the part of NHAI.
The detailed project report (DPR) consultant for the project was SPAN and all design and drawings were proof checked by IIT, Delhi. The bridge is constructed by Gammon and the supervision consultant is Mott. MacDonald, Chakravarty informed.
The three-lane bridge across the Brahmaputra River will connect Guwahati city with North Guwahati. The new road bridge over the Brahmaputra is part of the NHAI�s Rs 4,765-crore four-lane East-West corridor project from Silchar to Srirampur.
The bridge is aimed to take a huge load off the historic Saraighat Bridge the only link between the two banks of the river at Guwahati, besides easing the traffic snarls.
The project is estimated to take about 42 months to complete. The new bridge would be 1,493.58 metres long and have 3.5 km of approach roads. NHAI also plans to build a six-lane flyover at the Jalukbari traffic point in the city to link the bridge with the national highways.
NEW DELHI, Aug 11 � Alleging a cover up operation, BJP pointed out that pier No 3 of the under construction bridge over Brahmaputra River parallel to Saraighat Bridge has developed cracks. Use of poor quality cement and design flaws were cited as some of the prime reasons for the fiasco.
In a letter to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Kamal Nath, BJP Guwahati Lok Sabha MP Bijoya Chakravarty has alleged that the project being executed by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) at an estimated cost of Rs 238 crore, has recently developed cracks and it was kept a secret.
In response, Kamal Nath said that he will soon have the matter examined. She also alleged that visit of top officials of NHAI to Italy was sponsored by two big companies involved with the project.
Chakravarty in her letter, a copy of which is with this newspaper, said recently a crack developed at pier No 3 on North Guwahati side.
�Span and IIT Delhi made glaring mistakes in designing this major bridge and some of them are beyond rectifications,� the MP alleged.
Though Chief General Manager and project director of Guwahati NHAI are aware of this, but no action has been taken by NHAI like checking of the entire design and seismic hazard, preventive measures by an independent agency like IIT, Guwahati before taking up further construction to avoid occurrence of major structural and construction problems in future,� the MP opined.
Blaming use of poor quality local cement and other material, Chakravarty charged that it reflected the negligence on the part of NHAI.
The detailed project report (DPR) consultant for the project was SPAN and all design and drawings were proof checked by IIT, Delhi. The bridge is constructed by Gammon and the supervision consultant is Mott. MacDonald, Chakravarty informed.
The three-lane bridge across the Brahmaputra River will connect Guwahati city with North Guwahati. The new road bridge over the Brahmaputra is part of the NHAI�s Rs 4,765-crore four-lane East-West corridor project from Silchar to Srirampur.
The bridge is aimed to take a huge load off the historic Saraighat Bridge the only link between the two banks of the river at Guwahati, besides easing the traffic snarls.
The project is estimated to take about 42 months to complete. The new bridge would be 1,493.58 metres long and have 3.5 km of approach roads. NHAI also plans to build a six-lane flyover at the Jalukbari traffic point in the city to link the bridge with the national highways.
