5 'dangerous' bridges on Narmada canals shut, no heavy vehicles allowed on 4 others in Gujarat

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Authorities have shut five bridges on the Narmada canals in Gujarat after they were found to be dangerous for vehicular movement during an ongoing inspection drive, officials said on Wednesday.

Besides this, heavy vehicles have been barred from plying on four other bridges in the canal network, while instructions have been given to the district administration concerned to close 36 other bridges for repair work with immediate effect, the government said in a release.

All these bridges are part of the Narmada canal network. The repair and maintenance work of various roads and bridges that are damaged due to heavy rains is being carried out on a war footing under the direction of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, it said.

The state government has also conducted a technical inspection of various bridges located on the vast Narmada canal network in the state as a precautionary measure, it said.

According to the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited (SSNNL), there are about 2,110 bridges connecting the national and state highways and village roads passing through this canal network.

To assess the current condition of these bridges, prevent possible damages, and extend the life of these structures, a comprehensive visual inspection campaign was conducted recently by SSNNL on all these bridges, the release said.

Of the five bridges which are completely closed, two are in Morbi district while three are in Surendranagar district, it said. Bridges located on the Narmada canal network are constantly affected by load-carrying vehicles and environmental factors. At such times, regular inspection is extremely important to identify potential hazards and find a solution, it added.

On July 9, several vehicles plunged into the Mahisagar river after a segment of a 40-year-old bridge near Gambhira village, connecting Anand and Vadodara districts, collapsed on July 9. At least 20 people were killed in the tragedy.

The state government has started the repair work of national and state highways as well as internal roads of villages, towns, and cities, which were damaged due to heavy rains recently. On Tuesday, CM Patel conducted an in-depth review of the ongoing road and bridge repair works across the state and asked officials to check the quality during the exercise and prioritize the redressal of citizens' complaints.