Kumbh 2019: 22 pontoon bridges to interlink tent city
ALLAHABAD: The proposed tent city to come up on the banks of Sangam for 2019 Kumbh would be interlinked with 22 specially built pontoon bridges over Ganga at a cost of around ₹200 crore, said an official.
The bridges when ready would allow safe and free movement of people and vehicles, said executive engineer civil (Kumbh) Kishor Kumar Pahuja, who is heading the project.
He said the task has been handed to the mechanical department of PWD which was getting 1800 pontoons built at Parade Ground.
“We have 623 pontoons and remaining are being made as per required specifications. A single bridge needs 80 to 130 pontoons each costing ₹4.45 lakh, depending on the length of bridge and river channel’s width. Besides, large number of girders, wooden sleepers and 300 to 400 metal checkered plates and other materials as well as labour cost involved each bridge would cost around ₹7-9 crore,” said Pahuja.
An engineer associated with the work, who didn’t wanted to be named, said: “Girders would be provided by the forest department. Each girder costs around ₹14000 and it takes dozens of them to construct each bridge.”
Though these bridges are capable of handling load of up to 10 tonnes, usually 5 tonne is kept as the safe limit.
Likewise, though they can easily handle the passing of trucks, usually smaller vehicles and just pedestrians are allowed to pass over them, he added.
On an average for the annual Magh Mela just five just pontoon bridges are constructed.
Pahuja said the mechanical department has been sanctioned ₹43 crore for the work and the remaining funds would be released from time to time.
Allahabad divisional commissioner and nodal officer of Kumbh Ashish Goel expressed satisfaction at the speed of the ongoing work.
“October has been set as deadline for all permanent work related to Kumbh. However, temporary works like road repairs and widening would take place post monsoons. The construction of pontoon bridges too would take place after the rains and only after fully gauging the flow and direction of the river, its depth etc. We are keeping a close watch on the progress and the work would definitely get completed well before the start of the fair,” he added.
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A single bridge needs 80 to 130 pontoons each costing ₹4.45 lakh. Besides, girders, wooden sleepers, metal plates and labour would cost around ₹79 crore
KISHOR K PAHUJA, exe engineer