Work was carried out over a record number of 23 bridges during April – June 2020, which required either replacement or repair or re-building.
The selection of bridges was also done meticulously so that the bridges falling in the key and congested sections were given prime importance.
Because, these sections are highly saturated with continuous train movements in normal times, and would have required major traffic regulations for carrying out the works.
Accordingly, Major Blocks were identified and the work was expedited for giving maximum benefit in terms of boosting safety and speed of train operations. These also help in easing out the bottlenecks on the trunk routes, while helping in increasing the speeds of both Passenger and freight trains.
South Central Railway has been implementing an extensive and well-planned strategy to efficiently utilize the current situation of reduced train movements to give long-term benefits to the rail passengers.
As part of it, the Zone has identified some of the long-pending bridge repair works which require strengthening and which in normal time would have required major traffic regulations for the work to be carried out.
The details of the various bridge works that which have been carried out in the zone during the period from April to June 2020 includes –
- Secunderabad Division: Three bridges over the busy Kazipet – Vijayawada Section were reconstructed. These bridges which were earlier constructed with masonry stoneshave been replaced with RCC boxes. The magnitude of the workinvolved was huge requiring multiple blocks for eachwork.
- HyderabadDivision: Twomasonry bridges located in the Kacheguda – Dhonesectionhave been replaced with RCC boxes. In addition, a new Road Under Bridge (RUB) has been constructed duly closing the Level Crossing gate between Shadnagar and Thimmapur section which will ease the Road traffic at this busy LC Gate. Further, an additional vent has been provided by the side of RUB at Nizamabad yard to avoid congestion to the road users at this important town.
- Vijayawada Division: Twonew water way bridgeshave been constructed in the two busiest section of the Division – between Vijayawada-Visakhapatnam section and Vijayawada-Gudur section. Significantly, as these sections are prone to Cyclones impact, construction of these new waterways helps in strengthening the track by avoiding breaches at these locations. Further, an old stone masonry Bridge between Ongole – Karavadistations has also been replaced with RCC boxes.
- Guntakal Division: A record number of Eight Old stone top culvert bridges in different section of the Division, including the important Chennai – Mumbai route section, were replaced with RCC segmental boxes. In addition, Foursteel girder bridgeswere replaced with PSC slabs across different section over the Division to strengthen the track and to enhance the safety.
- Guntur Division: One new water way bridge has been constructed by insertion of four vent ways between Nadikudi – Macherla section, to avoid breaches in this floods/ heavy rains prone section so as to avoid breaches at this location.
Shri Gajanan Mallya, General Manager, South Central Railway has appreciated the Officers and the Staff of the Zone, especially engineering and construction branch, on accomplishment of these important works during these pandemic times.
He reiterated that completion of works at the 23 important bridges located on the vital sections will surely help the Zone in terms of smooth handling of train services. He further directed the Team to efficiently utilize the time period so that rail passengers are benefitted over the long-run.
