Steel to replace planks on Bailey bridge: Dy CM

SHILLONG, June 25: Deputy Chief Minister and Minister in-charge of PWD (Roads), Prestone Tynsong, on Friday said that the reconstruction of the RCC main bridge at Dwar Ksuid in Ri Bhoi will start immediately while the wooden planks of the Bailey bridge will be replaced by steel to get rid of the frequent damages.
Informing this, the PWD minister said that they had a detailed meeting on Friday with the regional office of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) along with the Additional Chief Secretary and engineers.
Stating that the Bailey bridgeoften goes phut due to heavy traffic flow of vehicles, Tynsong said, “They had laid this wooden plank and it has a capacity of 40 metric tons and then 12-wheel or 14-wheel vehicles plying endlessly, you understand the impact of the weight on that bridge”.
He informed that the state government has instructed the NHAI to ensure that this temporary Bailey bridge at least functions well. “We have decided that now they will lay steel planks and not a wooden plank which will be done very soon they will take it up,” he informed.
Talking about a permanent solution, Tynsong said the government has decided that the main RCC Bridge will be constructed immediately.
Tynsong emphasised that cost is not the concern but the reinstallation of the bridge is. He went on to add that the state will not have to spend on the repair or construction work since it is done by the NHAI.
It may be mentioned that the Bailey bridge has suffered damage twice, thereby disrupting the flow of traffic on the national highway connecting Meghalaya to other Northeastern states.