Barapullah drain bridge work to be over by Oct 2
NEW DELHI: The Delhi government’s Public Works Department (PWD) is carrying out the repair work of a bridge over the Barapullah drain on Mathura Road, which is expected to be completed by October 2. The agency had to undertake the repair after some iron bars of the girders underneath the bridge were stolen.
According to two PWD officials, aware of the development, iron bars underneath the 100-metre long section of the bridge were stolen a few months ago. “There were iron bars coming out of the girders underneath the bridge. They were stolen by some miscreants. We started the maintenance work of the bridge as soon as we got to know about the matter. The bridge was safe for vehicular use,” a senior PWD official said, requesting anonymity.
The bridge, adjacent to the tomb of Abdur Rahim Khan-eKhana, is built over Barapullah drain and runs below the Barapullah elevated corridor. Situated on Mathura Road, it connects Nizamuddin to Jangpura and Bhogal.
PWD officials said the major repair work underneath the bridge has been completed. It is now repairing the expansion joints. “The work will be com- pleted within four or five days,” said an official.
Another senior PWD official also verified the fact and said the department came to know about the theft of iron bars during a routine inspection around two months ago. “Without wasting any time, we had begun the maintenance work underneath the bridge, which has been completed now. Currently, we are replacing expansion joints of the bridge with the new ones. Repair of the bridge is also important because it is an over 40-year-old structure and caters to a large volume of traffic,” he said.
The PWD has closed one carriageway from Ashram to India Gate for the repair work.
The traffic department has made diversions on the stretch and they are regulating the vehicular movement through a single carriageway.
Joint commissioner of police (traffic ) Alok Kumar said the repair work of the bridge was to be done in two phases.