Cracks spotted in Maitri Setu, construction flaws raise concern

The officials of the National Highway and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) on Sunday (28 August) visited the Bharat-Bangla Maitri Setu (Friendship Bridge of India and Bangladesh) over Feni River at Ananda Para under the Sabroom sub-division for inspection and expressed displeasure over the poor quality of works.

The delegation of NHIDCL officials led by its Executive Director Pradeep Kumar saw flaking plasters, and water accumulation in different parts of the bridge. They also noticed that the silt is worn and the grass has grown in different parts of the pillars on both sides of the bridge, Northeast Today reported.

Following the visit Executive Director Pradeep Kumar directed the Corporation's DGM Sunil Kumar to mitigate the problems immediately.

The loopholes spotted also include- rusting of the steel safety barrier, cracks at about eight places in the concrete barrier on both sides of the bridge, while the iron rods on the barrier were rusted. As the water drainage ditches in the bridge are above the water level the water is not being drained, thus the water has accumulated in different parts of the bridge

According to NHIDCL executive director, the contractor company working on the bridge at that time caused a leak in the bridge for not being able to arrange this water drainage in any direction following the water accumulation on the bridge.

He feared that it may have a significant impact on the stability of the bridge in the future.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the India-Bangladesh Friendship Bridge (Maitri Setu) over Feni River on 9 March 2021, however, the bridge has not been opened to traffic to date.

This 150-metre-long bridge is also known as the gateway of the Northeast. It was constructed by an Ahmedabad-based company 'DRA Infracon'.