Railway board Thursday fashioned a five-members particular committee to look into the intense lapses flagged by the Fee of Railway Security (CRS) relating to the development of bold Pamban bridge between Mandapam and Pamban station in Tamil Nadu.
A spokesperson of the Ministry of Railways stated that the committee will encompass Principal Government Director (Bridge), Railway Board; an official from Analysis Design & Normal Organisation (RDSO); Chief Bridge Engineer of Southern Railway; Director of Rail Vikas Nigam Restricted (RVNL) and and impartial Security Knowledgeable. The committee will submit its report in a single and half months.
Whereas the Rail security auditor CRS gave nod for the motion of trains on the bridge with situations, it got here down closely on the railways and stated that the current bridge units a nasty instance, with “obtrusive lapses” proper from strategy planning stage to its execution.
“This new vital bridge has been constructed to interchange the present bridge opened within the 12 months 1914, which has a double-leaf bascule part with a Scherzer rolling sort carry span that may be raised the let ships move. Whereas the development of the earlier bridge greater than 100 years in the past is technical marvel contemplating a lot lesser availability of know-how again in these days and contemplating the corrosive atmosphere that it has withstood, I’m constrained to level out that, in stark distinction, the current bridge units a nasty instance of developing an vital construction, what with obtrusive lapses proper from strategy planning stage to its execution,” stated AM Chowdhary, CRS, Southern Circle, in its report dated November 26, 2024.
The Pamban Bridge is 2.05 km lengthy bridge with a singular 72 m Vertical Raise span, one in all its variety within the nation. CRS flagged a number of violations for not following normal design of RDSO, a railways physique. “The carry span girder was non-RDSO normal and designed utilizing international codes which entailed affiliation of RDSO within the mission. Nevertheless, from the persual of information, it’s evident that, with the assist of Railway Board, RDSO shunned its accountability within the design of the girder,” the report stated.
“It’s confirmed that the bridge has been constructed with state of Artwork design and the very best development practices. It’s cleared for operation by Commissioner of Railway Security. Additional factors raised by CRS might be complied in whole,” stated the Ministry.
“For planning of such vital bridges, there’s a normal apply of formation of a Technical Advisory Group (TAG). Nevertheless, as a fallout of the choice taken to dissociate RDSO from the mission, this was additionally not finished within the case of Pamban bridge. It was unlucky that Railway Board had been flouting its personal gudlines,” stated the CRS, whoes approval is required earlier than the operation of any new railway strains.
The security auditor additionally stated that the dissociation of RDSO with the mission resulted in critical penalties and has resulted in 36% discount within the stress carrying capability.
“The Fabrication Inspection Unit (FIU) of Southern Railway couldn’t spervise and couldn’t check verify 20% test-checks. FIU has finished assessments of the welds finished within the workshop and intentionally prevented the field-welds,” reads the report additional.
It additionally stated that the ample measures haven’t been taken to handle the problem of corrosion even when the bridge is said to be within the second-worst corrosive atmosphere on the planet. The parts of the bridge have already began corroding.
Ministry of Railways stated that the design the bridge has been finished by a TYPSA, an Worldwide Guide. “The bridge is designed with European and Indian Codes. Its design was proof checked by IIT, Chennai. Being designed by International Guide, Railway Board envisaged technical limitation in examination of design by Railways and RDSO. Railway Board selected further proof verify of design by IIT, Mumbai. After double proof verify, the design of Bridge has been accredited by Southern Railway. So, the bridge has been constructed primarily based on design by a reputed Worldwide Guide duly proof checked by two most premier Institutes of the nation,” stated the Ministry.
Ministry stated that for corrosion safety, particular portray scheme utilized in excessive corrosion inclined areas on the planet utilizing polysiloxane paint with a design lifetime of 35 years, has been applied.
