CANACONA: The 7.74 km long NH66 bypass road linking Charasta to Mashem developed a vertical crack between the bridge and the wing wall, disrupting highway traffic for over three hours on Friday morning. The wall was later demolished with the help of an earthmover and normal traffic restored.
The project, which was started in December 2015 at an initial cost of Rs 190 crore linking Charasta to Mashem by building twin bridges on Talpona and Galgibaga and Mashem creek, ran into another controversy when the wing wall of a box culvert near Charasta collapsed early morning on Friday.
Alert locals who were passing under the newly-constructed bridge saw a huge crack between the abutment and the wing wall of the bridge. It was brought to the notice of the local elected representatives who in turn alerted the local administration by 10am.
The overhead bridge at Charasta was immediately closed for all traffic that was diverted through the service roads of the bypass. Viewing the seriousness of the issue, the top portion of the wing wall was demolished with the help of an earthmover and normal vehicular traffic passing under the bridge restored.
An earthmover was requisitioned and the top portion of the slightly tilted wing wall was demolished to reduce the pressure of the soil. The soil spilled on the road while demolishing the part of the wall and was later cleared by spraying high pressure water by a fire tender which was kept on standby.
Locals, gathered at the site of the incident, questioned the quality of work executed by the contractor. An onlooker was heard saying that the thumb rule of cement works is curing it with fresh water, “but this contractor has not properly cured the cement works with enough water while constructing the road”.
Civil engineer Sopan Dhuri, who has two decades of experience in the field, told Herald that he had sent mails to authorities complaining of the substandard work being carried by the contractor but no action was forthcoming. He said, “The concrete works of the wing walls are built without preparing any sub base. Any wing wall of such height should be reinforced with steel.” He said there are three more wing walls of the same magnitude that need inspection.
Another social worker Soiru Komarpant, who was seen helping the authorities, demanded a high-level enquiry as he alleged that inferior quality of raw materials and poor workmanship for the collapse of the walls during the first showers witnessed in the taluka.
Anil Bhagat speaking to Herald said that the precast retaining wall on the other side of the cracked wing wall has slightly bulged out and needs close scrutiny by independent qualified personnel and if it collapses it might be hazardous as it is just adjacent to this wall.
