Kheri bridge ramp, master roads cave in after heavy rain in Faridabad

The approach ramp of Kheri bridge over the Agra Canal and the master road at three locations between sectors 88 and 89 caved in on Thursday following continuous heavy rain, with officials attributing the damage to underground scouring or erosion

The approach ramp of Kheri bridge over the Agra Canal and the master road at three locations between sectors 88 and 89 caved in on Thursday following continuous heavy rain, with officials attributing the damage to underground scouring or erosion.

The caved in portion of the bridge. (HT)

Traffic police said all the affected locations were immediately barricaded and traffic was diverted after traffic personnel were deployed to regulate movement.

According to traffic police, a constable deployed near the bridge first noticed signs of erosion between 6.45am and 7am. Senior officers were alerted immediately, following which barricades were placed at both ends of the bridge to stop vehicular movement.

Officials said a large section of the ramp collapsed by 10am. A senior official of the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad (MCF) said the bridge is around 40 to 50 years old and was built by the irrigation and water resources department of the Uttar Pradesh government.

“They still have the actual jurisdiction to maintain the bridge. However, it may take a few days before traffic on the bridge can be restored as repair work cannot be carried out amid heavy rain,” the official said.

By Thursday morning, however, a larger section of the road had collapsed and two more cave-ins were reported along the same stretch.

FMDA executive engineer PS Pathania said the preliminary assessment suggests that leakage from an underground water pipeline, coupled with heavy rain, may have triggered the cave-ins.

Pathania said teams have been deployed to repair the damaged stretches and conduct a detailed inspection. “However, traffic will be diverted for a few days as a precautionary measure,” he added.

FMDA officials said the road was built last year and that this is the second such incident reported on the stretch this year.

Faridabad deputy commissioner Ayush Sinha said officials of the district administration, FMDA, MCF and police have been deployed at critical locations to ensure there are no traffic snarls.

“Dewatering pumps have been deployed in waterlogged areas in Ballabgarh, Mujesar, Sikri, among others,” he added.