East Coast Railway (ECoR) has invited bids for building four major river bridges over the
Mahanadi, Birupa, Kathajodi and Kuakhai.
These bridges are a part of the 385-km third line between Bhadrakh and Vizianagaram.
These bridges are present in the 22-km section between Nergundi and Barang. The estimated cost of the EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) tender for construction of this balance work of the project is ₹996.60 crore.
Bridge details:
Bridge No. 539: A 16×30.5m Open Web Steel Girder bridge over the Birupa River;
Bridge No. 544: A 32×65.84m Open Web Steel Girder bridge over the Mahanadi River;
Bridge No. 553: An 18×45.70m Open Web Steel Girder bridge over the Kathajodi River;
Bridge No. 557: A 20×45.70m Open Web Steel Girder bridge over the Kuakhai River.
History of Mahanadi Bridge
The first Mahanadi Rail Bridge, completed in 1899, was an engineering marvel of its time, featuring 64 spans of 30 meters each.
The second Mahanadi Rail Bridge, commissioned in 2008, was constructed at a cost of ₹120 crore. Spanning 2.1 km.
The bridge is designed to accommodate trains traveling at speeds of up to 160 km per hour and is engineered to withstand seismic activities.