The Savitri bridge tragedy exposes many chinks in our infrastructure agencies
A lot of water has flowed under the Savitri bridge, a considerable part of which was washed away last week. The bodies of 26 of the 41 missing persons have been recovered so far. Running for cover, the government authorities are groping in the dark to find the reasons — and possibly a scapegoat — that caused this unfortunate incident.
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However, the agencies and their political bosses should know that there is a public opinion, based on facts, and mistakes that were committed in clearing a bridge from the colonial era for traffic a few months ago. People strongly believe that government agencies were more responsible than floods in uprooting the 88-year-old bridge.
The Mumbai-Goa highway and many other roads in the state have hundreds colonial-era bridges that are open to traffic even now. Commuters may not know the age of a particular bridge while travelling on it, but a lot of people have expressed their worst fears to local political representatives, ministers and the chief minister, sending them pictures of old bridges in their respective areas.
Heads may roll in wake of the Savitri bridge collapse even before inquiries to be held by a judicial panel and IIT-B experts are completed. Engineers who certified the bridge for fitness could well be the casualties. As promised by Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, a new bridge may come up there in the next six months. But that will not stop the tragedy from haunting us.
Our disturbed minds will continue to throw questions despite the government’s promises, which many believe will not suffice in the long run. Will suspensions and transfers of employees ensure the safety of road commuters? If one assumes that the engineers faulted in assessing the structural strength of the Mahad bridge, one should also know whether they were trained for a specialised job. Or, did they just follow guidelines that say fitness should be given if a bridge bears the load of a multi-axle vehicle? Did they not consider any other factor that could possibly damage a bridge?
What emerges here as a serious lapse is the act of ignoring the British government’s warning that the Savitri bridge be shut to traffic. The basics in civil/structural engineering say there are only two ways of dealing with a weak structure - repair it or just demolish it.
The tragedy has reaffirmed the belief that government agencies lack technical expertise and that they do not make enough efforts to acquire new knowledge through training, and in most cases, hire consultants to do experts’ jobs. This is enough for one to understand why people, who are immensely worried about old structures, also want the government to audit relatively new bridges.
The trust deficit brings our prime infrastructure agencies - the National Highways Authority of India, PWD, MSRDC, MMRDA and the BMC — into focus, because they control numerous old/new bridges and roads in their respective areas of operation.
The BMC has said it has started the process of identifying colonial-era bridges in the city. The civic body’s expertise in constructing roads and flyovers has come under the scanner time and again. Bridges/flyovers/ viaducts built by the PWD, MMRDA and MSRDC have also been questioned for quality. The MMRDA’s dream project - the Eastern Freeway - stands testimony to designing flaws that have been adding to commuters’ woes. Serious structural damages to the Mumbai Port Trust road, caused by the construction of the monorail and the freeway, have not been repaired despite frequent mishaps.
As we talk of Mumbai further, our major concern should be rail and road bridges that connect us with the mainland. These bridges face serious damage from illegal sand mining. Built by the British, the Vaitarana bridge on the Western Railway may not survive for long if it is not freed from a nexus between state officials and the sand mafia. The railways have asked for state assistance, but to no avail. Illegal sand mining in Mumbra-Kopar, the Ghodbunder road and the Vashi creek is as rampant. Uncontrolled sand mining is said to be one of the reasons in the Savitri tragedy as well.
Does anyone care?
Dharmendra Jore is political editor, mid-day. He tweets @dharmendrajore. Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com
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