IBMS for rebuilding 17 tunnel, bridges

Indian Bridge Management System (IBMS) in its recently carried out survey has concluded that as many as 23 bridges and tunnels on national highways (NHs) are over 100 years old, of which 17 require rehabilitation or major maintenance as quick as possible. It also found that about 123 other bridges in the country require immediate attention and 6,000 are structurally "distressed". The agency has been directed by the Union Road Transport and Highways ministry under its India's first-ever survey of the "health of bridges". The over-a-century-old structures include the Narmada bridge in Bharuch, Gujarat; two at Tikamgarh in Madhya Pradesh; and one each at Gulbarga in Karnataka, and Kolhapur and Pimri Chinchwad in Maharashtra. All of these need rehabilitation or major maintenance. After the study, the ministry has found there are about 1.6 lakh structures, including culverts, minor and major bridges and flyovers on India's NH network. Each of the structures has now got a unique identity number under this initiative, and will undergo periodic inspection.

Published: 07 July 2017