Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority to check and repair flyover cracks

KOLKATA: A day after TOI reported cracks in the VIP Road-bound arm of the Ultadanga flyover, KMDA officials said necessary corrective measures would be taken soon to address the issue while assuring that it did not pose a problem to the flyover's structural stability or a threat to vehicles using it.
"The cracks may have occurred due to water seepage or soil displacement. It will be checked and the repairs will be done," a KMDA official said. State bridge advisory committee chief Amitava Ghoshal who had alerted KMDA about the cracks after speaking to TOI, said the cracks between the approach embankment and the pier appear to have been caused due to settlement of earth inside the retaining wall. The other "crack" in the parapet wall is the way it was constructed, but the gap has widened due to the displacement caused by settlement. This will have to be subsequently corrected, he said.
Motorists are alarmed about the cracks and felt they ought to be repaired. "These cracks may not lead to an accident but they don't inspire confidence. KMDA should take up corrective measures," said Kaikhali resident Asim Mukherjee who uses the flyover nearly everyday to travel to his office near Ruby.
KMDA engineers a brick wall was constructed plug the gap between the embankment wall and pier wall during repairs conducted last year.
Officials said that after cracks were previously detected on the flyover, a health study was conducted and the state urban development had engaged a consultant. Necessary repairs were carried out in 2019 followed by load tests to ensure that the flyover flanks were strenghtened adequately.
Officials said the flyover is being supervised regularly and that there are plans to engage an agency for its annual maintenance.
KMDA also plans to engage an agency to take up repair and strenghtening work of Bankim setu in Howrah.