“We are currently performing expansion joint repair and maintenance in its metal structure. However, we are unable to speed up our work due to severe fuel crisis,” said Aatma Ram Sapkota, consulting engineer of Gauri Parwati Himalayan JB, the firm that has been assigned the task to.
Sapkota informed written applications to concerned authorities for availing fuel yielded no results. “I have written to Department of Roads (DoR) numerous times for availing fuel. Yet, I received no response from them,” he said adding that in lack of fuel the firm has not able to transport necessary construction materials from India.
“Additionally, we are not able to run compressor machine for sand basking. The machine requires 16 liters of diesel per hour,” he informed. The technicians have to perform sand basking first and then cleanse iron and metal structures under the bridge before coating irons with epoxy paint to prevent it from rust and corrosion, which cannot be performed unless the fuel supply eases, he added.
Although minor and major repairs should be performed at set-intervals to maintain conditions of bridges, Sapkota informed that most of the bridges in the valley not maintained.
“It is a serious negligence of the concerned authorities. Minor repairs like railing cleansing and painting should be performed in every three years. Likewise, major repairing including sand basking and iron cleansing should be performed every 10 years,” he said adding other bridges including Bishnumati Bridge of Teku and Balkhu Bridge are in critically weak condition and need immediate attention.
Despite the visible delays, information officer at DoR Umesh Jha, claimed that repairing of Bagmati Bridge would be completed within two months. “We are working to resolve all issues related to the maintenance of the bridge. We expect the work to complete within two months,” he said.
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