Kakinada: Collapsed retaining wall raises many eyebrows over quality

Kakinada: Many eyebrows were raised over the quality of construction as retaining wall of NTR bridge across salt creek at Jagannaickpur collapsed one week ago. Due to the incident, the approach road has been tilted posing threat to people of Kakinada and its surrounding villages. It has led to severe criticism from the Opposition parties.

The second bridge across Upputeru was constructed 30 years ago and the approach road has not been completed fully. For three months, a pillar of the retaining wall to approach road has been tilted and the Kakinada Municipal Corporation officials have closed the traffic on the bridge.

In fact, the bridge maintenance will come under the Roads and Buildings department. But due to lack of funds, the department made it clear to the KMC that they cannot take up the development of the bridge work immediately. However, the department has said that if the KMC can invest to develop the bridge, the R&B department would reimburse the same to the Corporation, after clearance from the government.

The Superintendent Engineer of KMC, PVV Satyanarayana Raju told 'The Hans India' that out of total 140 metres, 70 metres of the bridge was collapsed. He said that it is a bridge under the supervision of R&B officials and they would take necessary steps for the restoration of the bridge. Work pertaining to repair would be carried out with the funds allotted to the Smart City. However, at present there is paucity of funds.

The issue has been brought to the notice of KMC and necessary action will be taken. He said that already a study was made by the IIT Chennai students. The IIT students had submitted their report and made suggestions to strengthen the bridge. But now the retaining wall totally collapsed. He said that the students should make another study on the bridge immediately and after their study the KMC will take necessary steps.

KMC Commissioner Swapnil Dinkar Pundkar said that the traffic was closed on the bridge and a study has been entrusted on it to IIT Chennai students. The KMC would spend Rs 23 lakh for the study to strengthen the bridge.

Meanwhile, the Opposition parties expressed concern over the poor maintenance of the bridge. BJP senior leader Duvvuri Subrahmanyam demanded that the government reveal the liable persons on the collapse of retaining wall. He said that the KMC or R&B department had not taken any steps to strengthen the retaining wall. Desilting and dredging works have been done under the bridge besides construction of a park near the bridge at a cost of Rs 9 crore. He alleged that though the Nagara Ganesh Utsava Samithi and the BJP leaders frequently said that the park should not be constructed near the bridge as it can pose danger to the bridge, the administration went ahead with the proposal. Ganesh Idols used to be merged near the bridge and it has helped in strengthening of the bridge. But for the past three years, the officials created hindrances to immerse the Ganesh Idols at Vinayaka Sagar near the bridge, he pointed out.

He alleged that the park was constructed on the Port department site by the KMC without taking any permission from the department concerned and crores of rupees were wasted. Now, the works led to damage of the bridge. He wrote a letter to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, demanding that an inquiry on smart city works.

CPM City Secretary Ch Ajay Kumar demanded a probe on the incident of collapsing of the wall. He blamed negligence of the KMC and R&B department for the collapse incident. He said that thousands of people and vehicles are moving on the bridge daily as the people visit Kakinada, the headquarters of East Godavari district for various works.

Meanwhile, the Kakinada City MLA Dwarampudi Chandrasekhara Reddy along with some of the KMC Corporators and the officials visited the bridge and enquired about the incident.