Central Railway finally started process of replacement of damaged bridge at Gaddigodam on Kamptee Road in Nagpur Division. On Monday during a five hours mega block, the first phase was completed under the shadow of COVID-19. A relieving girder of 9.15 metre length was put in place to make way for launching of pre-cast slab, its weight is about 60 tonnes, at a later stage. Before that old restricted height girder was lifted off with crane having capacity of lifting 250 kgs of weight. The construction site is of quite importance as here a four layered transportation system, the very first such concept in the country, is proposed. That would include current road under pass and the railway bridge above it, and thereafter construction of a fly-over and Metro’s viaduct.

 

 

 

However, delay by CR’s Nagpur Division in completing the bridge replacement work in time could jeopardise the December 2021 deadline fixed for completion of Sitabuldi-Automotive Square stretch of Nagpur Metro. Meanwhile during the block, remnants of abutment and wing wall was chipped off with breakers to enable placement of future pre-stressed concrete slab as it would be lower than the current RH girder that was replaced. Till then, the iron relieving girder would be in temporary position to enable smooth movement of train traffic. On either side of the wall, jacketing work was carried out to provide support to the old bridge. For the same about six feet of embankment was dug-up for pouring of ready mix concrete as part of jacketing of bridge. Now, after placement of the iron girder weighing about 25 tonnes the portion that was chiselled off bedding would be replastered to ensure it matches with the required height of the new bridge.

 

The Gaddigodam bridge was damaged after a rashly driven Trailer moved past the height barrier put in place just before the railway under pass. It was in October last year that the incident occurred after the Trailer moving from Gaddigodam towards Kadbi Square rammed into the bridge inflicting severe damage. The Trailer was speeding as after getting stuck in the barrier was uprooted and carried along when the vehicle had hit the bridge wall in early morning. The upper portion of the bridge suffered substantial damage requiring imposition of speed restriction at Gaddigodam even as temporary repairs were carried out. Since then under pass was closed for road traffic even as railway put in place temporary scaffolding to support the bridge for safety of passing overhead trains. The site where the work is to be carried out is land locked and has very small place for maneuvering and hence placement of huge cranes and clear space for lifting of heavy weight pre-cast slab was a huge problem.

 

Now, Railways hope to finish off the work at the earliest as PSC is already arrived at division. A good number of track maintainers, including ladies, were drafted to help with lifting and placement of tracks. Officials from division including Pawan Patil, Sr. Divisional Engineer (Co-ord) and his team from Engineering Branch comprising Rohit Thawre; Sr. Divisional Engineer (Central); A B Chaturvedi, Assistant Engineer (South); Mukund Joshi, Sr. Section Engineer (Works), D R Piparde were at the spot for supervision of the critical work. DRM Richa Khare supervised the work.