Bengaluru Needs To Gear Up To Prevent A Kolkata-Type Bridge Disaster

Following the collapse of Majerhat bridge in Kolkata, which resulted in a person being killed and several others trapped under it, citizens of Bengaluru need to think twice before crossing a bridge. It is the scariest moment when you are stuck in traffic on a flyover and imagine it collapses.

According to Bangalore Mirror, several commuters on the hanging bridge at KR Puram have seen chunks of concrete falling off from the railing of the bridge. Residents have pointed to a number of creepers growing out of the flyover walls, which directly correlates to the weakening of the infrastructure. Despite multiple complaints to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), there has been no decisive action seen on part of the city’s governing body in order to take the adequate steps required to address the issue.

Double road flyover, which has become famous after the Kannada blockbuster U-turn, has also witnessed similar developments. Sirsi circle flyover is experiencing the same too, and citizens do not feel safe to commute on the same.

Professor HN Ramesh, Principal of the University of Visvesvaraya College of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, and expert on foundation engineering said in an interview to Bangalore Mirror, “The plants or trees growing on flyovers can damage the flyover. There are various reasons why cracks appear in bridges. It could be because of problems in the soil or other causes. It will have to be examined on the spot to find the reason for the damage. But, definitely, flyovers should be maintained well and audited frequently and plants and trees growing here should be cut.”