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Saraighat-II bridge ready for opening

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Jan 16 - The Saraighat-II bridge over the Brahmaputra river here is ready for opening. The bridge is complete and there is nothing to worry about its load-bearing capacity. It is designed for the highest loading capacity as per the Indian Road Congress (IRC) standard, said knowledgeable circles here.

When contacted by this newspaper, they claimed that the bridge has a three-lane width with a cambered deck for draining out stormwater from its surface. The cambered surface helps the bridge drain out the stormwater through the rainwater down pipes. This makes the top of the bridge appear as not level at one or two spots. But in fact, this is not so.

For this type of bridge, it takes a long time for adjustment of the top level after the bridge is opened for regular traffic. This too may give an impression that the top of the bridge is not level, which is not true.

This is a cantilever-construction bridge, which is a very uncommon type of construction, as this bridge is constructed with a single continuous girder, which is resting on 14 supports. For the purpose of smooth riding in this type of construction, at times it becomes necessary to maintain a level profile, which is provided through an additional coat of bituminous carpeting, said the sources.

Asked to explain how the bituminous layer on the top of the bridge got damaged at a spot, they said the bitumen of the carpeting on the deck of the bridge was cut at a point for the purpose of conducting a laboratory test. This has been wrongfully projected by some as damage to the bituminous carpet.

It is alleged by such people that the load of the traffic on the bridge on the Bhogali Bihu uruka night on January 13 has caused the damage to the bituminous carpet of the bridge at that spot. This, too, is not true, maintained the sources.

The bridge is complete, along with the main carriageway. It has cost over Rs 300 crore. The original cost of the bridge has been raised due to the increase in the scope of work by adding a signal-free crossing at Jalukbari and a flyover at the junction point of the road from Hajo and the highway, sources said.

Meanwhile, sources in the NHAI told this newspaper that the ramp-I of the Jalukbari signal-free crossing and the flyover at the Hajo Road junction point are yet to be completed. But this is not going to affect the opening of the bridge for regular traffic.

NHAI sources said that now it is up to the government to decide whether to use the bridge or to wait for the completion of the entire project. If the government wants to open the bridge now without waiting for the completion of the entire project, the finishing touches can be given right now, sources added.

Sources revealed that in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on October 24 last year, it was decided that the bridge would be completed by January 1, 2017 and the State Government also made a public announcement in this regard.

However, the completion of the project was delayed because of problems in getting forest produce. Later, on December 3, 2016 the Governor intervened into the matter and a meeting chaired by him cleared the hurdles in the way of procuring forest produce to complete the job.

On the components of the project, which are yet to be completed, sources said that the Jalukbari signal-free intersection is to be completed. Of the intersection, the ramp-I from the airport side to the bridge is likely to be completed by the end of this month.

The delay in acquiring forest produce delayed the construction of the ramp. The Hajo Road connecting flyover is targeted for completion on February 15, 2017. The completion of the entire project will ensure free flow of traffic, but if the government wants, it can use the new bridge now, sources said.

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