MALKANGIRI: New Delhi-based CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) will soon conduct a third party quality audit for the 910 metre Gurupriya bridge at Janbai in the cut-off region of Chitrakonda here.The bridge is likely to be dedicated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in the first week of June.
Chief Engineer of DPI and Roads in the Works department Om Prakash Patel had written to to the Director of CSIR to conduct a third party quality audit for the bridge, construction of which was completed recently.
Responding to the Odisha Government’s request, the CSIR on May 7 has sent a letter to the Works department expressing its readiness to do the same at a cost of Rs 38.56 lakh. The State Government has approved the CSIR amount. Sources said the Executive Engineer of Works Department, Malkangiri on Saturday deposited Rs 19.28 lakh, which is 50 per cent of the total cost demanded by the agency, in CSIR’s account. The department will release the rest 50 per cent of the amount after submission of final audit report.
The Works department in its letter to CSIR has assured that the visiting team of scientists would be given proper security cover during their work with help of BSF personnel and district police as the bridge is located in a Maoist-infested area. The department has also asked the Kolkata-based Royal Infraconstru Limited, the agency which has constructed the project, to make bridge load test arrangements as part of its contractual obligation under EPC agreement.
At least 10 scientists from CRRI will conduct the bridge’s quality audit. The works Department has also asked CSIR to complete the audit within a month to facilitate Odisha Government to implement CRRI’s observations/recommendations (if any) before the bridge is thrown open to public.