The highway department is going to reconstruct 2 bridges in Kanchipuram district

The highway department has planned to construct another bridge along with the one at Sevilimedu on the Kanchipuram-Vandavasi road. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangements

Two important bridges on the State Highway (SH) in Kanchipuram district – at Sevilimedu and Oragadam – will be restored soon. Both the bridges witness high volumes of heavy vehicles due to their proximity to industrial corridors.

A team of experts from the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) recently inspected both the bridges to assess their condition. The team will soon submit a report based on which the rehabilitation will be done.

A motorcyclist who regularly uses the Oragadam bridge. Barricades were placed in front of the ramp and vehicles on the bridge were asked to slow down, Ruban said. He added, ‘There are also some cracks on the sides.

The dual three-lane Oragadam bridge on the Vandalur-Wallajabad road (SH 48) was completed in 2014. “Once the work starts, we will divert the traffic to the service lane and allow traffic in some lanes without complete diversion. It is possible,” said a highway department official.

A retired engineer said that during rehabilitation of bridges, expansion joints between spans that allow bridges to expand due to temperature differences and bearings that transfer loads from deck slabs to the substructure need to be changed. structure.

“This will extend the life of the structure and ensure the safety of the users. Along with this, the worn coat on the carriageway should be replaced to smoothen the vehicle surface. Any cracks in the structure should be filled with grouting,” he said.

Kanchipuram-Vandavasi road (SH 116) Bridge at Sevilimedu in Palar was constructed in 2002-03. The 59-span bridge also needs maintenance like Oragadam. ‘We start work when the traffic is low. The highway department is planning to build another bridge along with the existing structure,” said an official.