NHAI Admits to Cracks on Vallanadu Bridge, Awaits Nod for Permanent Repairs
Rehabilitation works had been completed on July 10, 2024, based on recommendations by expert teams from IIT and CRRI, but minor depressions and cracks had subsequently appeared on the bridge deck
Tirunelveli: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has acknowledged the presence of recurring potholes and cracks on the deck slab of the Vallanadu Thamirabarani river bridge on NH-138, connecting Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts, and said a proposal for permanent repairs is awaiting approval of the competent authority.
In a letter dated October 28, NHAI Thoothukudi project director Krishnendra Dwivedi responded to a complaint filed through the CPGRAMS portal by M. Sugan Christopher, a volunteer of "We the Leaders" from Melaputhaneri in Tirunelveli. He said rehabilitation works had been completed on July 10, 2024, based on recommendations by expert teams from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), New Delhi.
However, minor depressions and cracks had subsequently appeared on the bridge deck. These were being attended to by the existing contractor as and when they were noticed, he said. An estimate for permanent repairs, prepared on the recommendation of a bridge expert, had been forwarded to the competent authority for approval. The works would be taken up in accordance with the NHAI and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways guidelines after approval. Interim repairs would continue to ensure traffic safety.
The recurrence of damage has raised questions over the durability of the rehabilitation works, particularly as the bridges have reportedly suffered damage on 21 occasions since they were opened to traffic in 2012. The twin bridges, constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 25 crore, were reportedly assured a 100-year lifespan. However, a concrete crack and a cavity extending about 10 feet developed in one of the bridges as early as 2017.
The condition of the bridges is also the subject of petitions pending before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, seeking comprehensive repairs, reconstruction of the damaged structures and action against those allegedly responsible for irregularities in their construction.
Hearing the petitions on October 26, a Division Bench of Justices P. Velmurugan and K.K. Ramakrishnan questioned the NHAI's contention that heavy vehicle movement had caused the damage, observing that bridges should be designed to withstand such traffic or separate routes should be provided for heavy vehicles. The judges also observed that road users paid toll to use national highways and that the facilities should therefore be properly maintained.
The Bench warned that it might constitute an expert committee if proper maintenance was not ensured. Taking note of the NHAI's undertaking to complete the repair works within four weeks, it directed the petitioners to monitor the progress and sought a status report by November 23.
Sugan Christopher has urged the NHAI to commission an independent structural safety audit through institutions such as IIT and CRRI, expedite approval for permanent repairs and make public the inspection reports, repair expenditure and the present structural condition of the bridges.
The repeated damage to the bridges, despite successive repair works and expert recommendations, has intensified demands for a comprehensive structural assessment and a permanent solution.