SHILLONG, July 14: A damage-prone Bailey bridge inaugurated four months ago has been a bottleneck on the Shillong Bypass as the wait for the permanent bridge gets longer.
The Bailey bridge was placed as a temporary measure after the Dwar U Ksuid bridge developed cracks and needed to be redone. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) set up the bridge on the highway maintained by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).
Large, heavy vehicles not only clog the highway on either side of the bridge but also keep damaging the temporary span.
“The Bailey bridge is repaired as and when it gets damaged,” an official of NHAI at the site said, pointing out that a mechanism to check the weight of vehicles could have minimised the damages.
According to the BRO, the bridge can withstand up to 40 metric tonnes.
The BRO said there is “absolutely nothing wrong” with the bridge but excessively heavy vehicles damage the approaches to it. “This is bound to happen if you let 60-70 MT vehicles ply on a bridge designed for 40 MT, a senior official said.
He added that the bridge was made with brand new materials. Initially, there were plans to put steel plates on the Bailey bridge. But the NHAI is (Contd on P-4)
Bailey bottleneck on Shillong…
(Contd from P-1) not keen on replacing the wooden planks since the steel plates would put more pressure on the bridge.
A Public Works Department official said NHAI is looking after the bridge and the road. The PWD provides it with the necessary expertise whenever any issue crops up.
Officials said the Bailey bridge – given the traffic – would continue to pose challenges until the permanent bridge is completed.
They said the design and drawings for the permanent bridge would be sent soon to the NHAI headquarters for examining and approval.
However, the Transport department has denied allegations that it was allowing overloaded trucks to use the Bailey bridge.
“We have specified that trucks weighing above 40 MT and 20 MT should use the Bailey bridge and Umiam dam respectively. But some trucks manage to violate the orders after entering the state from unspecified routes,” an official said.
The official also said the department has a weighbridge each in Jaintia Hills and Ri Bhoi where trucks are given a clearance certificate to ply on the Bailey bridge.
The rules prescribe a fine of Rs 20,000 for the first MT beyond the maximum weight allowed per truck and Rs 2,000 for every additional MT of load.
The Transport department has written to other states and industries within the state to ensure that their trucks follow the load limit while passing through Meghalaya.
Expressing concern over the frequent damage to the Bailey bridge, Umroi MLA George B. Lyngdoh blamed it on overloaded trucks allowed to pass unchecked. These trucks are also responsible for damaging the Shillong Bypass and the Guwahati-Shillong four-lane road, he said.
“Most of the trucks do not get weight and the excess load has led to the deterioration of the bridge as well as the entire stretch of the highway,” he said, criticising the Transport department for being unmoved by several complaints.
