Existing bridge to be strengthened by the NHAI
IRUCHI: Tiruchi’s infrastructure would see a significant addition soon as the new bridge across the Coleroon River on the Tiruchi-Chennai By-pass Road is all set to be opened soon for traffic.
The bridge has been completed but for the finishing touches. Blacktopping work has been under way over the past couple of days. The three-lane bridge has been built parallel to the existing bridge as part of the four-lane project on the Padalur-Tiruchi section of the Tiruchi-Chennai Highway. The 38.5 km long Tiruchi-Padalur section, entailed construction of three major bridges across the Coleroon, Cauvery and Upparu rivers. National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials say that the bridge, one of the longest in the State, has been built in a record time of 22 months, thanks to the sustained pressure maintained by the Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways T.R.Baalu on the project concessionaire. The Minister has inspected the work over half-a-dozen times in the last six months.
Officials point out that they had to compensate for delays caused by at least four interruptions caused by flood discharges in the river.
The approach roads and the temporary labour dwellings were washed away during the release of water.
Though the construction commenced in November 2006, substantial structural modifications had to be made by March 2007 after Mr. Baalu ordered that all new bridges be re-designed to make provision for further expansion of the highway into six-lane in future.
The bridge, with 27 spans, runs for a length of 878 metres and the carriage way would be 11 metres in width. In addition, pedestrian pavements on both sides would occupy about 1.97 metres.
The pavement has been made wider from normal bridges as a large number of people throng the river during the Adi Perukku festival every year.
“The bridge is a big boon for residents of the city. One of the important features of the bridges, was be the erection of 108 massive pre-stressed concrete girders, using gantry cranes, atop the piers.
Each concrete girders weighed about 100 tonnes and all them were positioned perfectly in a record time,” observes K.Viswanathan, Project Director, NHAI, Tiruchi.
This apart, strip seal expansion joints has been used for the bridge to avoid jerks at the span joints and ensure a comfortable ride.
The bridge is expected to be thrown open for traffic soon after the blacktopping was completed. Once it was opened, the existing bridge would also be strengthened by the NHAI.
The bridge has been completed but for the finishing touches. Blacktopping work has been under way over the past couple of days. The three-lane bridge has been built parallel to the existing bridge as part of the four-lane project on the Padalur-Tiruchi section of the Tiruchi-Chennai Highway. The 38.5 km long Tiruchi-Padalur section, entailed construction of three major bridges across the Coleroon, Cauvery and Upparu rivers. National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials say that the bridge, one of the longest in the State, has been built in a record time of 22 months, thanks to the sustained pressure maintained by the Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways T.R.Baalu on the project concessionaire. The Minister has inspected the work over half-a-dozen times in the last six months.
Officials point out that they had to compensate for delays caused by at least four interruptions caused by flood discharges in the river.
The approach roads and the temporary labour dwellings were washed away during the release of water.
Though the construction commenced in November 2006, substantial structural modifications had to be made by March 2007 after Mr. Baalu ordered that all new bridges be re-designed to make provision for further expansion of the highway into six-lane in future.
The bridge, with 27 spans, runs for a length of 878 metres and the carriage way would be 11 metres in width. In addition, pedestrian pavements on both sides would occupy about 1.97 metres.
The pavement has been made wider from normal bridges as a large number of people throng the river during the Adi Perukku festival every year.
“The bridge is a big boon for residents of the city. One of the important features of the bridges, was be the erection of 108 massive pre-stressed concrete girders, using gantry cranes, atop the piers.
Each concrete girders weighed about 100 tonnes and all them were positioned perfectly in a record time,” observes K.Viswanathan, Project Director, NHAI, Tiruchi.
This apart, strip seal expansion joints has been used for the bridge to avoid jerks at the span joints and ensure a comfortable ride.
The bridge is expected to be thrown open for traffic soon after the blacktopping was completed. Once it was opened, the existing bridge would also be strengthened by the NHAI.
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