KTR to inaugurate cable bridge in Karimnagar today

KARIMNAGAR: IT minister K.T. Rama Rao would inaugurate the cable bridge erected by the Telangana government at an investment of ₹224 crore on River Manair as part of the Telangana state formation’s decennial celebrations in this district on June 21.

The bridge would reduce the distance from Karimnagar to Warangal district and attract tourists from various corners of the state. The state government took up the construction works on  February 19, 2018.

The 72 km distance from Karimnagar to Warangal would be reduced to 65km once the cable bridge is brought under utility.

The TATA and the Turkey-based company Glumark jointly took up the erection works after the design was prepared by a Bangkok-based company. This is going to be the third such bridge in South India.

The foundation stone for the cable bridge was laid on December 30, 2017, by then R&B minister Tummala Nageshwar Rao.

The cable-stayed bridge is kept suspended with huge cables that extend from one end of the bridge to the other. The cables rest on top of high towers and are securely anchored into the river banks at either end of the bridge.

The towers enable the main cables to be draped over long distances. Most of the weight or load of the bridge is transferred by the cables to the anchorage systems that are embedded in huge concrete blocks.

Two pylons, intermediate piers and abutments form the main structure of the bridge. The four-lane bridge road has two each 1.5-metre footpaths, a 0.5-metre railing kerb and a median of 1.5 metres.

The officials also arranged a dynamic lighting system, two big screens and LED lights on the cable bridge at a cost of ₹6 crores to display Telangana’s culture and history on special occasions.