Assam's Saraighat Bridge undergoes Rs 7-crore rehabilitation to strengthen safety

Guwahati, Sep 15 (IANS) The historic Saraighat Bridge over the Brahmaputra in Guwahati has undergone a comprehensive rehabilitation at a cost of around Rs 7 crore, with the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) completing the major repair and strengthening works on Tuesday, an official said. 

NFR Chief Public Relations Officer Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said the rehabilitation work, aimed at strengthening critical structural components and improving the bridge's long-term reliability, commenced on July 13 and was completed on Tuesday.

"The Saraighat Bridge is an iconic landmark of Indian Railways and holds immense historical and strategic significance for Assam and the entire Northeast. The comprehensive rehabilitation has been undertaken to ensure its continued safety, structural integrity and reliability," he said.

Commissioned in 1962, the Saraighat Bridge has served the nation for more than six decades and plays a crucial role in connecting the Northeast with the rest of the country.

Sharma said the bridge had undergone considerable wear and tear over the years, with deterioration of the upper deck slab affecting some of its main structural parts.

"Routine maintenance and minor repairs were no longer adequate. A comprehensive rehabilitation was therefore taken up to restore the bridge and enhance its long-term structural reliability," he said.

During detailed inspection and assessment, several areas requiring urgent attention were identified, including a distressed expansion joint at the Amingaon end, damaged supporting steel members, structural cracks and cavity formation in spalled concrete.

Water ingress caused by the deterioration of the concrete had also damaged eight of the 11 expansion joints provided in the bridge, while multiple potholes and distressed portions were found on the road deck.

Sharma said pothole repairs had been carried out on several occasions between January and May this year. However, the limited curing time available while keeping traffic movement operational resulted in the repaired concrete surface being damaged again, particularly under the impact of heavily loaded vehicles.

"This necessitated a more comprehensive and durable rehabilitation approach so that the repaired portions could achieve the required strength and durability," the CPRO said.

As part of the rehabilitation, eight damaged expansion joints were dismantled and repaired, while distressed portions of the concrete road deck were removed and recast.

Detailed repair and strengthening of the underlying steel structural members were also carried out, while damaged portions of the deck at multiple locations were systematically restored through concreting, followed by adequate curing.

According to Sharma, the rehabilitation was undertaken with the objective of restoring the bridge's condition, strengthening critical structural components and ensuring that its structural integrity continues to meet modern load-bearing requirements and safety benchmarks.

"The work represents a significant intervention towards safeguarding a critical piece of national infrastructure and ensuring its continued reliability for the people of Assam and the Northeast," he said, adding that the successful completion of the major rehabilitation work reflected the sustained efforts and technical expertise of the engineering team of Indian Railways, with the entire exercise focused on safety, structural integrity and long-term durability.

The Saraighat Bridge is one of Assam's most important transport links across the Brahmaputra and facilitates the movement of people and goods between the northern and southern banks of the river. Sharma said the comprehensive rehabilitation would help preserve the historic engineering landmark and ensure that it continues to serve Assam and the wider Northeast region safely and reliably for years to come.

--IANS

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