Bridge Safety: Monitoring of bridges across the country will be made more strict, NHAI formed a panel of 16 experts

New Delhi. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has taken a major step to strengthen the safety and quality of bridges across the country. Regarding bridge safety, NHAI has expanded the panel of experts and increased its number from 10 to 16 experts. Now, if any complaint of technical fault is received in any bridge, overpass or underpass in the country, a team of experts will start investigation within 24 hours and submit a timely report.

Investigation will start in 24 hours, final report in 7 days

According to the new instructions of NHAI, a committee of three experts will be formed if information about any technical defect is received. This committee will reach the spot within 24 hours and start investigation. The preliminary report will have to be submitted to NHAI within three days and the final report within seven days. Based on the report, necessary action will be taken against the concerned engineer, construction agency or contractor.

More than 1.7 lakh bridges will be monitored

There are more than 1.7 lakh structures including bridges, culverts, underpasses and overpasses with length more than six meters on the National Highway Network across the country. To ensure their quality and safety, the Central Government is continuously strengthening the monitoring system. Earlier, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had also entrusted the responsibility of preparing the design and health report of bridges to major technical institutes including IITs.

Retired officers and experts got responsibility

The new list includes retired NHAI ADG R.K. Pandey, former ADG of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways A.K. Srivastava, former Director General (Road Development) S.K. Private sector experts including Nirmal, former joint managing director of UP Bridge Corporation Upendra Shukla, PWD technical advisor Narayan Chandra Pal have been included. This panel will independently investigate the technical problems faced by the bridges.

Road safety will be strengthened

NHAI believes that by increasing the number of experts, technical defects in bridges will be investigated faster and timely corrective action will be possible. This will strengthen road safety and ensure safe and better infrastructure for people traveling on national highways.