Potain Cranes Building $32 million Bridge in India

Two Potain MCi 85 A tower cranes are at the center of the $32 million Basholi Bridge, a three-year construction project in Jammu, India. The 5t capacity cranes are working 12 hours a day performing general lifting duties and pouring concrete.

The two MCi 85 as are owned by M/s S.P. Singla Constructions Pvt. Ltd., the main contractor on the project. Singla Constructions selected the Potain cranes as it is confident that they will perform efficiently and fault-free, explains Mr Devider Rana, P&H head at Singla Constructions.

"This vast bridge is a key project for India that will give a much needed boost to the area's relatively low economy. We have total confidence in our Potain cranes, given their reach, capacity and proven capabilities. As such, we have put considerable focus on completing the project on time and within budget, and the cranes are helping us make that a reality."

The first MCi 85 A was erected in May 2012 and was joined by the second in June 2012. The cranes are climbing alongside the pylons on either side of the river. They currently stand at a height of 72 m (236 ft) and 63 m (206 ft) respectively. Both will climb to 110 m (360 ft) before the end of the project, scheduled for completion by September 2014.

The two MCi 85 are new cranes, built at Potain's facility in Pune, India. The versatile crane is the most popular Potain tower crane in India. It is designed for easy erection and offers excellent lift capacity. With a 25 m (82 ft) jib, it can lift 3 t (3.3 USt) at the jib end and with a full 50 m (164 ft) jib it can lift 1.3 t (1.43 USt) at jib end.

Basholi Bridge will span 592 m (1,942 ft) across the Raavi River with pylon heights reaching 88 m (288 ft) to support a two-lane road that will connect Himachal Pradesh and Punjab with Jammu and Kashmir. The bridge is expected to boost the region's socio-economic status, while increasing tourism and commercial mining opportunities in the region.