Travel on road-cum-rail bridge between Rajamahendravaram and Kovvur becomes arduous journey

Rajamahendravaram: The travel on the famed road-cum-rail bridge on river Godavari between Rajamahendravaram and Kovvur remained an arduous journey due to the lethargy of the government and officials of Roads and Buildings department.

Shortage of funds and lack of commitment among the officials are contributing to the problems being faced by the commuters passing through the bridge. Officials of R & B department express their helplessness to maintain the bridge due to lack of sufficient funds.

Damaged footpaths and parapet walls, non-functional lights, accumulated garbage on both sides of the footpaths and pits all along the road are causing panic among the pedestrians and also among vehicle users.

Most of the lights are not working and as a result, the commuters face inconveniences during nights. Making repairs by spending lakhs of rupees is a common feature every year, but in vain. There is no co-ordination between the officials of Roads and Buildings and Railways to take up repair works on permanent basis.

The bridge is the second longest bridge in Asia with 4.05 km length which was opened in the year 1975 and which is an important link between Chennai and Kolkata. According to the sources, the government is giving an amount of Rs 70,000 only per annum for its maintenance which is insufficient. The department has been urging the government to enhance the maintenance fund.

In the year 1975, the department carried out repairs to 65 secondary joints with micro concrete system with an estimated cost of Rs 76 lakh, with Rs 97 lakh in the year 2005 and with Rs 20 lakh in the year 2010.

In the year 2011, the then MLA RSP Rao spent an amount of Rs 10 lakh from MLA (LAD) funds for repairing the secondary joints. Again in the year 2015 and repair works were taken up in connection with Godavari Maha Pushakarams.