Part of under construction bridge sinks

Atmakur (Nellore): Following the recent collapse of the under construction flyover in Kolkata resulting in the loss of 26 lives, people of two villages and a town in Nellore district are afraid as they apprehend a similar mishap of 2.5-km long bridge being built at a cost of Rs 70 crore across the Penna river, linking it with the national highway, because of lack of quality in the construction. As a result, the bridge has sunk between pillars 48 and 49, causing severe anxiety among local residents. The structure has a total of 69 pillars. The work launched in 2012 by the then Minister Anam Ramanarayan Reddy is set for inauguration after a month by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Following the information provided by the residents, the lack of quality construction has been taken to the notice of Minister Sidda Raghava Rao and R & B SE Vijay Kumar. The SE and some experts inspected the bridge on Monday. Residents of Apparaopalem and Kollapunaidupalli villages and Atmakur town questioned the officials on the status of the structure. They expressed ire that the pillars have suck because of the negligent
attitude of the department experts.
The SE conceded that there were minor technical flaws in the construction. He said that they would be rectified following the high-level inspection to be taken up shortly. Vijay Kumar asked the residents not to panic.

TS Murthy