Even after six months the repairing work on Telmachho Bridge — the lifeline of Bokaro and Dhanbad towns is yet to start. The bridge is being erected on Damodar River connecting the State capital Ranchi to Dhanbad via Bokaro (NH-23) and Purulia via Chas to Dhanbad (NH-32). A side portion of the bridge had collapsed on March 5 this year and later the transportation of heavy vehicles was completely barred on the bridge.
After the collapse of a portion of the bridge, three huge breaches occurred between pillar no. 1 and pillar no. 3 which are increasing right away, disrupting the vehicular movement. Heavy vehicles are completely halted, said an official.
“The bridge, constructed in 1984, has been in poor condition with the authority responsible for maintenance,” he said. More than 30 thousand vehicles ply daily through the bridge but now goods trucks, transport buses were not allowed after the district administration barred the movement of heavy vehicles on the bridge.
A technical team from Ashoka Buildicon and National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) inspected the bridge for its revamp in April this year. After inspection, the project director of Ashoka Buildicon Samrendra Kumar had said that the repairing work of the bridge will start soon after the report reached them.