Built to last? Cracks, erosion appear near Ghaggar bridge within months of launch
2
Panchkula: Less than three months after its grand inauguration by Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini, a portion of the Rs 50 crore Ghaggar river bridge project is already showing alarming signs of structural failure, raising serious questions about construction quality and public safety.
What was meant to be a long-term solution for easing traffic across sectors 20-21 and 24-26 has now become a symbol of premature decay. The side slopes, designed to protect the bridge from erosion and weather damage, are eroding themselves. A site visit revealed deep cracks in the concrete and visible damage from recent rainfall, prompting fears that the road leading to Maharana Pratap Chowk and the bridge itself could be compromised, especially during the ongoing monsoon season.
Mohit Gupta, founder of Solution Box, a residents' help group, said, "It raises questions on the quality of material and the kind of work that was carried out. This concrete side slope was recently built. The soil is loose here. It seems compaction of soil was not done properly, which is why it got washed away. If you see this side slope at the old Ghaggar bridge at Majri chowk, there is a stark difference in the work as compaction of soil was done properly, and the work quality is much better.
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N K Payal, executive engineer, Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP), that implemented the project here, said, "This side slope protection is built to protect the road and not the bridge. Though this entire road, the chowk, and bridge are part of the same project, the slope is built at a place which 3-4ft high. It will not impact the bridge at all."
"The slope work is currently going on. The thrown concrete you see here was put on Tuesday only in view of rain so that soil does not wash away as there is no grass.
However, the contractor is responsible for repairs under the 10-year defect liability period, and if any portion is damaged, it will be fixed by him," Payal assured.
BOX:
Long delayed project:
The bridge was inaugurated by Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini amid much fanfare on April 20. The 360-metre-long and 16-metre-wide bridge connects Sectors 20-21 with 24-26. It also reduces travel to Zirakpur, Rajpura, Patiala, and Mohali airports.
This bridge is a part of the PR-7 ring road connecting Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Chandigarh. Residents residing near Sectors 20-21 lament about traffic congestion in the absence of any traffic lights or traffic cops here.
Delay reason:
HSVP officials said the project started in 2020 with a two-year compeletion deadline but got delayed due to various reasons like environmental clearances, COVID-19, and monsoon disruptions. Earlier, the Punjab govt's in-principle approval for the work came late. The connecting road falls in its jurisdiction.
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