BENGALURU: The South Western Railway has finally woken up to the cries of commuters using the Cholurapalya railway bridge to reach Majestic, Mysore Road and other important areas of Central Bengaluru. The bridge, a critical route for motorists, had developed giant cracks, giving residents nearby as well as motorists nightmares. It has now been taken up for repair. However, the traffic police is still not allowing any heavy vehicles to enter the bridge as it is still in a weakened state and may pose a risk to commuters.
“We are not allowing any heavy vehicles to enter the bridge and are diverting them from Vijayanagar as per the request from railway officials due to the unfit condition of the bridge. Only four-wheelers, two-wheelers and auto rickshaws are currently allowed to pass through the bridge,” DCP Traffic(West) Dr Soumyalatha SK said. Expressing concern about even lighter motor vehicles plying on the bridge due to the number of cracks, she said: “I hope the bridge will be closed completely as the cracks on them are getting worse. We are waiting for the request from railway officials to close the road for maintenance.”
The bridge connects Padarayanapura with Cholurapalya in Magadi and is the common point which connects both western Bengaluru and central Bengaluru. “The bridge helps us to cross the city without any traffic hassles. We travel on this bridge frequently and the cracks have brought a sense of fear amongst us,” said a resident from Hampi Nagar Firos Babu.
The cracks on the bridge, especially after a foot-over bridge collapsed in Mumbai, has left the residents living around it in fear. “We are scared seeing the cracks; the bridge had similar issues five years back and was repaired. The new cracks started developing from last December and the condition of the bridge is getting worse every day,” a resident said.
“We wish it gets resolved very soon. We are really scared about the condition,” said a resident Fathima Azla, who is staying nearby for the last ten years. Meanwhile, a contractor for South Western Railways, Achiraj, who is employed for the restrengthening of the bridge, said, “We carried out maintenance for the bridge five years back. It’s a 60-year-old bridge and to keep it in a good condition, the bridge needs to be maintained properly.
Works have started and we are trying our best to repair the cracks.” Speaking to TNIE Deputy General Manager, SWR E Vijaya said: “It’s one of the oldest bridges in the city which was built when metre gauge railway line was being constructed. In a recent inspection by the divisional engineer, it was found that the structure has developed cracks and needs urgent repair. Presently movement of heavy vehicles on the bridge is suspended to ensure safety.” The maintenance work will take three months for completion. “We are also planning for reconstruction of the bridge as a long term measure if the proposal gets sanctioned,” she added.