The cable-stayed bridge over Durgam Cheruvu, envisaged to shorten the distance between Jubilee Hills and Madhapur, will have to wait more for completion, owing to logistical and other delays.
Deadline for the 754.38-metre-long structure, touted to become the longest such bridge after completion, has been shifted from March to October this year. During a guided media tour to the site on Thursday, officials informed that various technical and logistical hitches are slowing down the progress of works taken up by L&T on behalf of GHMC.
One major reason for the delay is related to traffic restrictions, as the works and material movement are allowed only between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., so as to avoid traffic chaos typical of the day time. “After we have raised this issue many times in city coordination committee meetings, the Traffic Police have permitted us to carry out the work during the day time too during weekend,” informed a GHMC official.
There are occasions when 200 to 600 cubic metres of concrete has to be poured without break, which needs movement of 60 to 100 concrete mixer vehicles on the road. During a single night, not more than 100 cubic metres of concrete can be poured, the official says. “If the agency encounters any other logistical issue during the weekend, we can have no other option than to wait till the next weekend for the work to be continued,” says the official.
Works are being performed at the height of 20 metres from ground level, and a high-capacity crane will be needed for upper pylon works, which could block the road between NCC office to Inorbit Mall. The project is now largely that of pre-cast segment erection, and only three segments can be carried per day, GHMC has informed.
After completion, the bridge is expected to reduce the travel time between Jubilee Hills up to Gachibowli by two kilometres, and bring down the traffic on Road No. 36, Jubilee Hills and Madhapur. Mayor Bonthu Ram Mohan who accompanied the media, said the technology used for the bridge eliminates the need for a pillar inside the lake, besides reducing the height from 75 metres to 57 metres. Cables for the bridge have been imported from Austria, he said.
The tour also visited the twin flyovers near Biodiversity Junction, being constructed with an expenditure of nearly ₹ 65 crore. The first level flyover is being built from Gachibowli side towards Mehdipatnam, while the second level is from Mehdipatnam side towards Kukatpally. Work for these flyovers is hampered due to a pending case against property acquisition. From the day the case is cleared, it will take four months for completion, officials said.
