Amdavad: The study conducted by the Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology (SV-NIT) on the Hatkeshwar Flyover on the eastern side of the city has concluded that restoring the bridge would cost as much as constructing a new one.

One of the five consultants engaged by the Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC), SV-NIT’s report claimed that the restoration of the flyover would be as expensive, if not more so, than building a new bridge. The study also found that it is impossible to predict the lifespan of the old pre-stressed concrete (PSC) box.

According to the report, the deterioration of the concrete led to cracking and crushing in the PSC, resulting in the bridge’s sagging. Furthermore, distortions were observed in the bearings and bearing pedestals. The report cautioned that the ingress of moisture after the appearance of cracks could lead to the corrosion of reinforcement, resulting in additional cracking.

Instead of restoring the bridge, SV-NIT has suggested beautifying the existing bridge, similar to structures such as the Sun and Moon Bridge in Malaysia or the Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge in Brazil, which would be a better use of resources and generate revenue as a tourist attraction while still serving transportation purposes.

Construction of the Hatkeshwar bridge began in 2015, and it opened to the public in 2017. It is also noteworthy that according to the AMC, the flyover showed no damage between 2017 and 2021.

Another study by ‘E-cube concrete consultants’ suggested that the cement content of the Hatkeshwar flyover concrete was much less than expected in the M45 grade. The consultant attributed this to the addition of too much water, which made the concrete porous, weakening the quality of the cement paste. DeshGujarat