BENGALURU: Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) shoddy work has once again come to light. Early Tuesday morning, a hole was detected in Sumanahalli Bridge, with a block of concrete coming off and exposing the iron framework. The hole was noticed by a few motorists on the bridge, who claimed they could spot vehicles passing on the road beneath. They immediately informed Kamakshipalya Police Station as traffic was hit.
BBMP Engineer-In-Chief BS Prahalad said the bridge was originally built by BDA, using the beam and steel concept, and has developed some issues. The bridge, connecting Goraguntepalya,comes under BBMP, which has taken up repair work.
“We received information about a hole on the bridge at 9.15am. We called BBMP engineers from the Major Road Section. The area was filled with a mix and barricaded. Full-fledged repair work will be taken up from Wednesday. Engineers said work will begin on the Nayandahalli-Goraguntepalya section of the bridge, and may have to be closed. There could be traffic congestion in the surrounding areas,’’ said Harish MT, Kamakshipalya traffic inspector.
The bridge was in the news two years ago for a similar reason -- a gaping crater in the middle of the flyover which had led to much public criticism. The Palike had taken up repair work. Prahalad told TNIE that the bridge was originally built by Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) in 2004 and handed over to BBMP in 2015. “There is some damage. We will go for a ‘non-destructive test’ where a machine with ultra soundwaves will be used to detect damage and bad quality. Bureau Veritas, an engineering firm, has been roped in to conduct a study and give a report. For now, BBMP will start repairs on Wednesday, and the spot has been barricaded.” said Prahalad.