DIMAPUR, JULY 13 (MExN): An emergency meeting of senior officers of the Nagaland PWD along with the R&B Minister, Y Vikheho Swu was held on July 12 to take stock of the situation in view of the collapse of the RCC Steel Girder Bridge at Dimapur.
A press note from the state PWD informed that the meeting explored “areas of improvement in the working system in the department.” Road from Patkai College towards New Showba should be immediately improved for diversion of traffic to Niuland area, the meeting noted, and the department said it would start improvement works on emergency basis.
The PWD also discussed ways to find out other possible alternative roads to Niuland area. Issues of the incomplete bridge construction work over Dhansiri River at Dimapur should be settled at the earliest so that the works can be resumed, the meeting observed.
The department resolved to set up a Technical Inquiry Committee to examine the causes of failure of the bridge and submit its report within a month’s time. “The Engineer-In-Chief will issue necessary orders for constitution of the Committee along with the terms of reference and disciplinary action shall be initiated if any lapses are detected on the part of the departmental officials,” the department press note stated.
It was also decided that the department would update details of all the existing bridges in state and identify those bridges which have outlived their lives and make tangible plans to replace the bridges. In this, the Engineer-In-Chief will issue advisory notes to all the divisions under PWD, including the BRO to put up ‘Precautionary Notice Boards’ on all the weak bridges in the state. Regulation and control of traffic on those weak bridges may be imposed in coordination with the administration and police force, it was added.
Meanwhile the Engineer in Chief will call for joint inspections of the major bridges maintained by the BRO, National Highways and the R&B Departments and suggest means to strengthen them if found to be unstable.
The department decided to call for explanation from the contractor M/S Nagamiitech as to why the work could not be started although the Work Order was issued way back in June 2016 and take up immediate steps to start the work during the working season. “Notices shall also be issued to all other Contractors who have not started works although Work Orders have been issued,” it added.
During the meeting, the Minister termed the recent tragedy as a “wake up call” and cautioned that officers not performing their duties diligently shall be seriously dealt with.
Other areas discussed were periodical inspection of bridges (at least every six months) and a Monitoring Cell particularly for Bridge design and works.
