Pune: PMC Undertakes Repair & Maintenance of Seven Old Bridges

Pune, December 3, 2024 – In a significant move to ensure the safety and longevity of its infrastructure, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has embarked on the repair and maintenance of seven old bridges in the city. This initiative follows the state government’s mandate for all municipal corporations to conduct structural audits of their bridges, a directive that came in the wake of the 2018 collapse of the Savitri River bridge in Konkan.

The PMC’s project department has been using hydraulic jacks to lift the bridges and replace their bearings, a critical component that ensures the stability and safety of these structures. This maintenance work is part of a broader effort that began with a structural audit of 40 city bridges that are more than a decade old. The audit was prompted by the discovery of dangerous conditions at the Sadhu Vaswani Bridge in the Pune Cantonment area.

Chief Superintendent Engineer Yuvraj Deshmukh explained, “The municipal corporation appointed consulting firms to conduct a structural audit of 40 bridges. Based on the audit findings, maintenance and repair work is underway. The key tasks include filling cracks and replacing bearings. Repairs of seven bridges in Pune are in the final stage. Hydraulic jacks are being used to lift the bridges for replacement of bearings. Out of these, the bearing replacement for two bridges is still pending but will be completed in the next few days.”

While bearings are typically replaced every 15 to 20 years, some of Pune’s bridges are undergoing this process for the first time in 35 years. The audit revealed that although most bridges were in good condition, the bearings of some needed urgent replacement.

The PMC’s efforts also included an audit of flyovers such as the Hadapsar and Sadhu Vaswani flyovers, which identified the need for their repair and maintenance. It was found that 80% of the city’s bridges were constructed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). However, when the PMC sought the original plans for these bridges, they were unavailable. Consequently, the PMC hired an independent consulting company to create new plans, which have now been completed, allowing the necessary repairs to proceed.

The PMC’s proactive approach underscores the importance of regular maintenance and structural audits to prevent potential disasters and ensure the safety of the city’s infrastructure.