Incomplete right way of Mandamarri viaduct poses threat to motorists

The work on the viaduct, part of the 94-kilometre long national highway Mancherial-Chandrapur, began at Mandamarri in 2021 with a deadline of 24 months

Mancherial: Traffic is being allowed on the right lane of an under-construction viaduct in Mandamarri town without completing the work on the structure, posing a threat to motorists. Vehicles coming from Bellampalli to Mancherial are permitted to use the two-lane way.

The work on the viaduct, part of the 94-kilometre long national highway Mancherial-Chandrapur, began at Mandamarri in 2021 with a deadline of 24 months. However, the work has been dragging on due to various reasons including delay in shifting pipeline of a drinking water scheme and the lockdown induced by Covid-19. The deadline to complete the work was already extended multiple times.

---

However, the right way of the viaduct was thrown open to the public on January 1 even as the parapet wall of the way and certain parts were yet to be completed. One of the lanes of the way is closed for traffic, while the speed of vehicles is restricted to 30 km per hour. Boards were put up, cautioning motorists about the incomplete work.

“Allowing traffic on the right way of the viaduct without completion of the works poses danger to motorists. The way was hastily opened to the public. Motorists tend to assume the work is finished. Vehicles are prone to fall off the structure due to lack of the parapet wall,” Babji, a teacher from Somagudam village in Kasipet mandal opined.

When asked, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) Project Director KN Ajay Manikumar told ‘Telangana Today‘ that safety measures were taken to prevent road mishaps on the right way and other parts of the viaduct. He stated that the work on the way would be completed in two or three days, while the left way was going to be thrown open to the public by the end of February.

The national highway project was taken up under National Highway Development Project (NHDP)-under Bharatmala Pariyojana-Phase IV on a hybrid annuity mode at an estimated cost of Rs 2,497 crore in August 2020.

According to officials of the NHAI, the deadline to complete formation of package I, Mancherial-Repallewada stretch, is August 2022, while the deadline of package II, from Repallewada to Goyagaon in Wankidi mandal is March 1, 2023.