50-year-old Yamuna bridge in need of urgent repair

Pankaj Sharma

Nahan, February 13

The dilapidated condition of the Yamuna Bridge at Paonta Sahib has become a cause of concern for motorists as thousands of vehicles cross it on a daily basis.

The bridge was constructed in 1972, making it over 50 year old. Over the years, it has seen wear and tear due to heavy traffic movement. Little has been done for its proper maintenance and repair. This has resulted in cracks on the surface, damage to railings and exposure of reinforcement bars, posing a significant threat to the structural integrity of the bridge.

DC’s take

The abutment work for the construction of the bridge has started at the Uttarakhand end. — Sumit Khimta, Sirmaur DC

“It was designed to handle a specific volume of traffic. However, the exponential growth in vehicular movement in the recent years has put immense pressure on the bridge — far more than its capacity. This overloaded heavy vehicles which cross the bridge every day have further deteriorated its condition. Number of accidents has also increased over the bridge,” rued Ram Karan, a local.

Sirmaur Deputy Commissioner Sumit Khimta said he was informed by the Public Works Department about the strengthening of 50-year-old Yamuna bridge, the necessary traffic diversion plan as well as the estimated time of repair. But since then no progress report has been shared by them in this regard.

“A meeting was also held with the officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to prepare an alternative bridge, after which the abutment work is going on for the construction of the bridge at the Uttarakhand end. NHAI has appealed to the Divisional Magistrate for fixing high price for land acquisition in the villages of Kedarpur, Bhuppur and Shamsherpur in Himachal,” he added. The DC hoped that a solution will be found soon and bridge construction work will start from the Himachal side also.

Residents of Paonta Sahib and surrounding areas have expressed their concern about the safety of the bridge. They have urged the authorities to take immediate action to address this critical issue. Their demands include a comprehensive inspection by qualified engineers to determine the extent of the damage and identify any potential risks.

“Based on the inspection findings, necessary repair and renovation should be undertaken to strengthen the bridge. Measures to regulate traffic flow and reduce overloading on the bridge are essential to prevent further damage and accidents,” said Rakesh, a local resident.

Considering the long-term perspective, the construction of a new bridge alongside the existing one could be a viable solution to cater to the increasing traffic volume and ensuring the safety of commuters.

The current condition of the bridge poses a serious threat to public safety.

“Immediate attention and decisive action from the authorities are required to address this issue before it leads to a potential catastrophe. The safety of commuters must be the top priority,” said Jagat Singh, an industrial worker, expressing his concern over movement of heavy vehicles on the bridge.

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