NAGPUR: Maharashtra’s first balanced cantilever bridge is ready in the city. The 231.20-metre-long bridge has been built over a railway line near Anand Talkies in Sitabuldi by using advanced technique that involves constructing the bridge segments simultaneously at the opposite ends of the cantilever.
To overcome the challenge of crossing the Metro viaduct over tracks, MahaMetro zeroed on the balanced cantilever bridge method. “We had to ensure that rail traffic below the Metro corridor was not hampered. This technology is not just the most optimal, but also advanced,” said MahaMetro managing director Brijesh Dixit.
Highlighting the challenges faced during building the bridge, MahaMetro’s director (projects) Mahesh Kumar said, “The construction work was carried out during railway block hours when the movement of trains was restricted. This time span is usually around three hours and at night when frequency of rail movement is less. MahaMetro has completed the construction work in record time, without causing any hindrance to rail traffic.”
Construction of the bridge, which is at a height of 22 metres from the ground, started in October 2019. As per officials, the country at present has three balanced cantilever bridges — New Delhi, Lucknow and Kochi. “This bridge is heavier than Ram Jhula. We got skilled labourers from Bihar and Jharkhand. The bridge is going to be one of the iconic structures of the city,” added Dixit.
The bridge is expected to get operational by the end of this year.
A day earlier, TOI reported that work of two Metro stations has come to a halt due to cash crunch. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) have failed to pay their promised 5% share each in the Rs8,680 crore phase I of the Nagpur Metro project, which comes to Rs434 crore. Overall, NIT has to pay Rs189 crore to MahaMetro, while NMC’s pending share is of Rs366 crore.
Dixit while interacting with the media on Wednesday said Metro work won’t be compromised, but that of stations and depots might come to a halt.
MahaMetro is soon expected to start phase II work, once it gets the nod from the Union cabinet. “In phase II, Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) will be shelling out money. The second phase will prove to be very beneficial for both the agencies in terms of better connectivity,” he said.
