Span set for first flyover

The maiden flyover has started taking shape.

Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Limited (BRPNNL), the executing agency of the Jagdeo Path-Sheikhpura More flyover project, has put 11 of total 94 spans on the bridge’s superstructure.

Officials of the corporation have claimed that the work was going on schedule at present but they are also apprehensive that they might miss the completion deadline of June 2015 for lack of cooperation from the traffic police.

“We have written several letters to the Patna traffic to block entry of heavy vehicles from Jagdeo Path More towards Sheikhpura More in the night hours. We have also given a route chart for the suggested diversion to the traffic police. This would ensure unhindered transportation of our raw material and the slabs from our plant at Saguna More to the flyover site. Otherwise, our equipment like big tippers and cranes at times get stuck behind the heavy vehicles during the snarl for several hours in the night slowing down work,” said a senior official of the BRPNNL.

The official added that at present it takes around two hours on an average even in the night hours for transportation of material from the Saguna More plant to the flyover site.

Newly appointed Patna traffic superintendent of police Rajiv Mishra promised action in this regard in a couple of days. “We already had discussion on this issue with the BRPNNL officials. Apart from heavy vehicles, movement of smaller vehicles is also quite much in the night hours. However, we will come up with a solution on this matter within a day or two,” said Mishra.

The work on Jagdeo Path-Sheikhpura More flyover started in December 2012.

According to project details, the total length of the flyover is 2.275km, including 300 metres of approach road. The flyover would be having four lanes with a width of 25 metres with the design ensuring the pillars occupy minimum space.

The specifications of the flyover have been made considering the requirement of service roads, which would run parallel to it on both sides. The technology being used for construction of this flyover is termed “segmental bridge”.

“A segmental bridge is basically made by joining together small sections of concrete or spans using steel support system. This technology is being commonly used for construction of flyovers in many metropolitan cities these days. It is ideal for those places where it is difficult to transport large sections of concrete. It reduces the disruption to normal flow of traffic during the construction period also,” said the BRPNNL official.

The slabs of the flyover are made at the plant of BRPNNL near Saguna More and the pillars are being erected on flyover site itself. “We have put up 40 of total 94 pillars from the Jagdeo Path side and 11 spans have also been put. The spans are already visible,” said the BRPNNL official.

Patna has eight railway over bridges at different places in the city at present but this is the first time that a flyover is being constructed. According to sources, this flyover is being constructed with a view to decongesting the traffic on this stretch of Bailey Road, which is observed with frequent traffic snarls.

Moreover, the authorities also anticipate furthermore increase in traffic on this stretch of Bailey Road once the under-construction Sonepur-Digha rail-cum-road bridge is ready for operations of vehicles.

This is also the first flyover being constructed by the Nitish Kumar government. The state cabinet on February 2, 2012, gave approval to this project for a total outlay of Rs 161.97 crore, including central assistance of Rs 48 crore and the rest Rs113.97 crore from the state’s plan.

Courtesy: The Telegraph India