Mahatma Gandhi Setu in Bihar, considered as the longest steel bridge of the country, will open for traffic after its eastern flank is inaugurated on June 7. After being fully renovated, the 39-year-old structure over the river Ganga will be the longest steel bridge with a length of approximately 5.6 km.
The Mahatma Gandhi Setu, or known as MG Setu, is the first balanced cantilever bridge in the country that was dismantled and converted into a simply supported bridge. However, the existing concrete substructure of the bridge has been retained, and the superstructure is replaced by a steel-deck one.
Notably, the rehabilitation work of the bridge started in 2017 and the western flank was inaugurated in 2020. It is remarkable to know that the complex bridge rehabilitation project was completed just in five years.
Giving details, Afcons project manager SK Misra told News 18, “Earlier there used to be a waiting period of 3-4 hours in case of traffic jams and due to the poor condition of the bridge. But now the traffic will be able to cross the bridge in just 15-20 minutes.”
Once the bridge is open, nearly one lakh passenger vehicles can use this bridge every day. The bridge plays an important role to the state’s socio-economic development because it connects north and south Bihar.
The project manager further added that almost 66,360 metric tons of steel have been used in the entire bridge superstructure and added that the steelworks was a massive scope in the project.
Post time: Aug-11-2022