Karimnagar cable bridge undergoing load tests

Road and buildings officials, who started load testing on Friday, will test the capacity of the bridge in different stages for five days.

Karimnagar: Load testing is being done to check the capacity of the cable-stayed bridge constructed across Manair river under the downstream of Lower Manair Dam.

Road and buildings officials, who started load testing on Friday, will test the capacity of the bridge in different stages for five days.

As part of the testing processes, a total of 950 tons weight was placed on the main span of the bridge on Friday and Saturday. A total of 28 tippers each filled with 30 tons of sand bags were placed on the bridge. The weight of 28 sand tippers was 840 tons.

Apart from it, 110 tons capacity sand bags (55 tons each side) were also placed on footpaths developed either side of the bridge. Officials have observed defections for every one hour by arranging sensors in 7 places under the bridge.

Two end spans of the bridge will be tested on Monday and Tuesday. Based on the testing results, they would take further decision whether to make changes in cables, Sambasiva Rao, Executive Engineer, Road and Buildings department, told Telangana Today.

In order to attract tourists, officials have decided to decorate the cable bridge with digital lighting and prepared proposals with Rs 8 crore for the purpose.

Except approach roads, the works of 500 meter-long cable bridge taken up with Rs 149 crore have reached to final stage.

Besides approach roads, the work of connectivity roads is also pending. About Rs 34 crore was earmarked to lay a 4.7 kilometer distance road from Kaman chowk to Sadasivpalli. Road has to lay from Kaman to the by-pass road and cable bridge to Sadasivpalli.

Informing that work of the cable bridge has reached final stage, Sambasiva Rao said road works have been delayed due to delay in land acquisition process. They have to acquire 300 meter land from bypass road to cable bridge as well as 500 meter from bridge to Sadasivpalli.

BC Welfare and Civil Supplies Minister, Gangula Kamalakar was putting serious efforts to complete the land acquisition process, he expressed confidence to complete pending works within a short period once land acquisition process was completed.