PWD orders inquiry into 'faulty design' of bridges in MP

Indore, July 10 (IANS) Amid the escalating row over alleged "faulty" design of bridges, including RoBs (Railway over Bridges) and potholes on roads, the Public Works Department (PWD) of the Madhya Pradesh government, on Thursday, ordered an inspection across the state, officials said.

The department has sought a detailed report from all districts (PWD offices) about the actual status as well as design of all existing and proposed bridges.

The department has also setup a special committee of senior officials to inspect all under-construction bridges, an official source privy of the development, told IANS.

The action came amid the structure of one after another bridges drew criticism in from the commuters and leaders from political parties, including the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The structure of yet another RoB came under question is located in Indore, following which the BJP MP from Indore Assembly constituency Shankar Lalwani wrote a letter to the state's PWD Minister Rakesh Singh over the bridge's design, besides instructing officials to change the sharp turn proposed in the design of the under-construction ROB.

However, the PWD Minister, while responding to the matter, said on Wednesday that the work on ROB in the Polo ground area of Indore was underway in accordance with the "fully approved technical design and standards".

During an interaction with media persons, the Minister had also said that the under-construction RoB was finalised by the Railways and the PWD after a joint survey and design process.

"Its design has been prepared with an aim of providing traffic facility in three directions. Three arms going towards Polo ground, Laxmibai Station and Bhagirathpura have been included in the project," Minister Singh said.

It came days after an under-construction RoB in Aishbagh area in Bhopal came under question a couple of weeks ago.

After the ROB became a subject of criticism and ridicule on social media as well as among people, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had suspended seven engineers associated with the project.

The design of yet another RoB located in Shubash Nagar area in Bhopal came under question due to its 'snake-like' structure and poorly placed dividers after two back-to-back mishaps occurred at the same point within eight hours amid heavy rain in the first week of this month.

--IANS

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