The rail-cum-road-bridge on Godavari waits for repairs

Rajahmundry: The rail-cum-road-bridge across Godavari river connecting Rajahmundry to Kovvur is developing cracks on its 474  secondary joints and the commuters will get bumpy ride/drive on it soon. Though the roads and buildings authorities have been carrying out  repair works on the bridge for several times, there is no relief for the commuters as such works are being carried out on a temporary basis.

Recently, Visakhapatnam-based Infrastructure Development and Design Consultancy Engineers Private Limited inspected the RCRB. It will submit a report in a week. At the time of conduct of Godavari Maha Pushkaralu, the state  government had ordered temporary repair works to be carried out as any move to take up permanent repair works take a long time  and required permission from the Railway Board. However, it had assured to take up permanent repair works soon after completion of Maha Pushkaralu.

The R and B authorities used mastic asphalt, bitumen, lime and stone  dust by making them as paste to serve as a glue at the secondary  joints as they are getting deflected when heavy vehicles pass on the  bridge. This resulted in bumpy drive on it. After carrying out repair  works on a temporary basis, the commuters used to enjoy free passage  without any bumps. However, of late, the secondary joints are developing cracks and again  the commuters have to bear the bumpy drive on the bridge.

The R and B authorities said that earlier, experts from Chennai-based  Structural Engineering Research Centre and IIT, Chennai, made a study on the bridge and had recommended repair works on a  permanent basis to ensure safety of the commuters using the  bridge. However, their recommendations were kept in abeyance as the Railway Board had to give permission for carrying out repair works and close railway traffic on the bridge for nearly four hours in a day for about three months.

The R and B deputy executive engineer E.G.R. Naidu said, “We are exploring several alternate ways to carry out the repairs on a temporary basis. Once  we get the report from IDDC, we will find out what best we can do to  avoid bumpy drive on the bridge.”