Experts have found that the important bridge at Sonapur needs immediate repair, which could cause disruption to trade and travel.
Repairs will take around seven weeks and will be overseen by the National Highways Authority of India. Restriction on the use of the bridge by commercial vehicles has already been put in place, Public Works Department (Roads) Minister Prestone Tynsong said today.
“The question of constructing a new bridge doesn’t arise but only repair work will be done,” Tynsong, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister, added.
Several key bridges in the state have been found lately to be in desperate need of repairs. This includes the one at Dwar Ksuid on the Shillong Bypass and the bridge along the top of the Umiam Dam.
While the dam might appear in poor physical shape to the common man, Tynsong said that experts have checked it and found it to be usable, though heavy vehicles have been banned from using it.
“I have asked my team of engineers to work out if there is any other option where we can bypass the main dam bridge and they are on the job but right now the focus now is on the Western Bypass… If it is constructed then commercial vehicles won’t need to ply over Umiam Dam,” the minister said, adding that the new bypass is currently at the stage of land acquisition.
Meanwhile, on the Dwar Ksuid structure, Tynsong said that a work order will be issued soon by the central government and construction of a new bridge, using the same alignment, will be complete in around a year’s time.
