Navhind Times

Panaji, Jun 14: Zuari bridge, the main connecting link between North and South Goa will be closed for heavy vehicular traffic from June 16, as it has developed “certain hairline cracks” in its upper deck on pier 5.

The cracks were detected after an investigation carried out last weekend by an expert from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mumbai, Prof Bajuria. However the reasons for the cracks are still unknown.

The closure of the bridge will seriously affect the commuters between the two districts, especially the tourists those travelling by public transport heavy vehicles.

Meanwhile, the state government, reacting to the incident has decided to invite tenders for construction of a new bridge between Agassaim and Cortalim, over the Zuari river.

Chief minister Pratapsingh Rane told the reporters that he will not take any risk as far as the safety of the people travelling on the bridge is concerned and the government would go for construction of a new bridge. Mr Rane also assured that adequate number of ferry boats would be pressed into service across the Zuari river.

The CM however remarked, “The basic design of the bridge was faulty and therefore further repairs for the bridge would do no good.”

Secretary for public works division Santosh Vaidya told ‘The Navhind Times’, today that the use of the bridge would be restricted to the movement of the light motor vehicles from the coming Friday.

PWD minister Ramakrishna Dhavalikar visited the bridge and inspected the same, earlier in the day.

Principal chief engineer of PWD P K Nambiar has informed that the Zuari bridge would be closed to all traffic except light vehicles up to 6 tonne from June 16.

“Major investigation and repair works would be undertaken for the bridge,” he said, unable to inform the date of re-opening of the bridge for heavy vehicles.

A team of PWD engineers in charge of the bridge section, later told the mediapersons that extensive tests were being carried out to check the Zuari bridge, every six months, while visual inspection was conducted every month. The last detailed inspection of the bridge was carried out in December 2005.

Prof Bajuria, who conducted load testing for the bridge on June 10, found a minor crack on the same and will be suggesting remedial measures, the team informed, adding that Prof Bajuria found the cables used in the bridge in good condition.

The 830 metre long and 10.5 metre wide Zuari bridge was constructed by M/s Gammon India Ltd at a cost of Rs 18 crore. The bridge took 9 years for its construction - 1972 to 1973 - and was commissioned in 1983.

The bridge was repaired on many occasions during the period 1997-2002, the total repair work costing around Rs 7 crore. The initial repair work started after an Ireland-based independent engineering consultant, M/s Mott McDonald inspected the bridge and found that the P-5 span of the bridge had developed horizontal cracks.

The bridge was subsequently closed for vehicular traffic for 4 months. More maintenance and repair works were carried out for the bridge till 2002.

The PWD engineers team for the bridge section further informed that the balanced cantilever bridge which has a span ranging from 122 metre to 127 metre has been in good condition, except its problematic P-5 span.

“The high level of salinity in the Goan air hastens the process of corroding the small pre-stressed cables in the concrete of the bridge,” the team added.

The bridge has been designed for 100 tonne load, the team explained, pointing out that the minor cracks in the upper deck of the bridge may have resulted from the high summer temperature.