Mondal says retrofitting work completed, Umiam bridge to be opened both ways from tomorrow

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 29, 2024

In a big sigh of relief to commuters, the Umiam bridge will be opened both ways starting from tomorrow.

This was informed by the Power Minister AT Mondal after a meeting of the High Powered Committee for Umiam Dam and Bridge chaired by the deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong here on Monday.

“It has  been decided that from tomorrow onwards, the bridge will be opened both ways and this would be only restricted to as per the earlier order restricted to only 4 metric tons of vehicles not above the 4 MT. There will be further notification later on and when that notification will come, I will call you again and explain the situation. So this is the present situation as far as the status of the Umiam bridge is concerned,” Mondal told reporters. 

He informed that the decision was taken after the retrofitting works for the Umiam bridge has been completed. 

“Further retrofitting may require that we will decide later on. But for the present scope of work, it has been completed.”

Further, the minister said as far the dam is concerned, almost all the works on the top surface is completed. “But still we need to go for grouting in the bridge portion but that will not hamper the movement of the traffic,” he said while informing that the entire cost for work comes to around Rs 19.9 crore.

Asked, Mondal said that a permanent barrier will be put up to ensure heavy vehicles with certain heights cannot ply over the Umiam bridge.

“We are seized with the allegations and we are not turning away (from our responsibility) that there may be chances of that (heavy vehicles getting to ply after paying some money). That is why a permanent barrier will be put so that it will be automatically be restricted,” he said while adding that “PWD has been entrusted to find out ways and means to put permanent barricade so that the heavy vehicles cannot enter the bridge and moreover our Dam is the most important thing as of now to safeguard its safety and we  have installed CCTV cameras.”

According to him, load restricting for light motor vehicles only as it is not safe to allow heavy vehicles to move over the dam and the bridge.

Furthermore, the minister informed that the rehabilitation and retrofitting works have added another 20 years to the lifespan of the Umiam dam and bridge.

“We all know the lifespan of the bridge is almost expired. With this and if the load restriction is there, you can say we have added another 2 decades into its life but we should be very strict in that,” he said while adding “Yes, with this load restriction, life of the bridge has increased but if we allow heavy vehicles then there may be further deterioration of the bridge and also dam may happen and that will lead to further damages to the dam and there may be further cracks in the bridge.” 

He also informed that the department will come up with some relaxation within a week’s time after when the full prof barrier is in place.

To another question, Mondal said, “This has got to be for the greater interest of the bridge and the dam because nightsuper buses also carries alot of weights. We will come up with some relaxations later but as of now, heavy vehicles will not be allowed to ply over the bridge.”

“Bridge is weak that is why. We have pumped major money on the dam not the bridge. If go for renovation of entire bridge this road will be cut off for at least 1 year,” he said.

“We told that by July we will finish. I told you once that we go to first week of August as we thought that there may be some heavy downpour and one or two days we cannot work that is why I took extra gap but luckily the rain withstood and work has been done as per our plan,” he further added.

Regarding the alternative route, the minister informed that the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has been entrusted to find an alternative route and they are working on it. 

“Whatever you say government has decided that an alternative route bypassing this bridge will be in place as early as possible but it is not an easy work. One we have got to find out the alignment and negotiate and see how land position is there but department PWD is on the job,”he added.