The ongoing construction of the Surat metro rail bridge on the Saroli to Kadodara road came to a halt amid concerns over the safety and quality of the project when the overhead span of the metro line dangerously tilted to one side. The concrete span has developed cracks and iron rods beneath the surface are exposed. The incident happened between pillars 747 and 748 near the overbridge site near Bharat Cancer Hospital on the 18-kilometer route between Bhesan Depot and Saroli.
The sight of the bent-down hanging span created fear among the commuters on the road beneath. The tongues started wagging about the quality of the Rs. 12000 crore project. The Surat metro, an ambitious project is being built up with the participation of state and central government on two routes.
The fire brigade and the police reached the spot and diverted the traffic on other routes. There was commotion and traffic jams at several points due to diversions, causing widespread discontent among citizens.
Dilip Buildcon, the company entrusted with the work has attracted the ire of the people. People question the performance and competence of the company involved in this project. It is being recllaed that the contruction company was also accused of lower quality of construction when a dome at the Hisrasar Airport in Rajkot came crushing down recently.
The General Manager (Civil) at Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (GMRC). has assured that the deformation of bridge is being continuously monitored. he said that it can be restored back safely as the load of bridge is still on launching girder. The Executive Director of the Metro Project said “Currently, the team is investigating this.
The Surat metro rail project is slated to open in 2027.
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