Officials test Quepem bridge for load and feasibility
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
QUEPEM, MAY 23
The Indian Road Congress (IRC) Class A load testing of Quepem Bridge over Kushawati River was carried out on Sunday in utter dissatisfaction of members of Quepem Taluka Mining Affected Peoples Front (QTMAPF).
The testing was carried out to verify the safe loading capacity of the bridge, which is calculated as 16.5 tonnes. The load and feasibility testing which was carried out by Goa Engineering College, Farmagudi, was headed by Dr C S Gokle and his team. The testing commenced at about 8 am and concluded at 1.30 pm.
QTMAPF members, at whose instance the load and feasibility testing was carried out, objected for the trucks to be used for testing, as trucks were hired from a mining company.
The Front members alleged that the mining company has a direct interest in not having proper testing of the bridge.
The Front members demanded Executive Engineer P T Parker to weigh the trucks before using it at an independent weigh bridge.
However, the demand was rejected by the executive engineer saying that it will delay testing process and requested the members to take the trucks for testing after the testing was over.
However, when the four trucks used for testing the bridge were taken for weighing at Cacora, it was found that the total weight of the trucks used was less by over 5.16 tonnes.
The weight of the four loaded trucks, which were used for load testing of the bridge, was shown as 76,920 kgs of which deflection of the bridge was shown as 7-8 mm, although the actual weight of all the four trucks used for testing was 71,760 kgs, as weighted at GIDC Cacora.
The Front members claimed that if the weight of the tucks was exact, then the deflection would have been much higher.
Meanwhile, since the bridge was closed due to testing, people from Quepem were put to a lot of hardship, as it was a Sunday Bazaar in Quepem town. Villagers had to walk a long distance to reach the bazaar.
Speaking to reporters, Dr C S Gokle, head of civil department of Farmagudi Engineering College, said his department will submit the load and feasibility testing report of the bridge to PWD on May 24.
