Bhadrachalam Godavari bridge remains shut as repair works drag on

The second Godavari bridge connecting Bhadrachalam and Sarapaka remains closed as repair works on the collapsed approach road continue. Motorists are using the old bridge, while locals have urged NHAI to expedite repairs and reopen the vital interstate connectivity route.

Kothagudem: The new bridge built across the Godavari river between Bhadrachalam and Sarapaka in Kothagudem remains closed to traffic as repair works on the approach road, which collapsed three months ago, are yet to be completed.

It may be noted that a part of the approach road to the second bridge built across the Godavari river caved in on the Sarapaka side due to alleged poor-quality work on May 7, within two years of it being commissioned in April 2024.

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There have been allegations that National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials failed to properly monitor the bridge construction works, leading to the collapse of the approach road. After the incident, officials suspended vehicular traffic on the bridge between Sarapaka and Bhadrachalam, and vehicles are now allowed to ply on the 60-year-old first bridge.

The new bridge was built at a cost of Rs. 98.45 crore by construction company Rajdeep Buildcon Private Limited. It took nearly nine years to complete the project, though the original schedule was two years.

Just as the construction of the bridge was delayed, the approach road repair works are also getting delayed, causing inconvenience to the public. Motorists are expressing safety concerns as hundreds of vehicles, including heavy trucks, pass over the old bridge every day.

It is learnt that officials from the relevant departments, who investigated the causes behind the erosion of the approach road, found that it sank due to the failure to construct a proper retaining wall between the old bridge and the new bridge.

Until recently, the river remained dry. However, with rains in its upper catchment area, it has started receiving inflows, which might further delay the works. Locals are demanding that NHAI officials expedite the approach road repair works and bring the new bridge into use at the earliest.

The bridge serves as an important connecting point for Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, especially for devotees visiting Bhadrachalam to have darshan of the deities at the Bhadradri Temple.