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Video | Old Pune bridge demolished in controlled explosion
The vehicular traffic on Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway was diverted in view of the planned demolition.
An old bridge in the Chandani Chowk area in Pune was demolished through a controlled explosion in the early hours of Sunday, news agencies reported quoting officials. The bridge on Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway (NH4) in the Chandani Chowk area of the city was built in the early 90s.
After the bridge was razed at 1am on Sunday, several earthmover machines and trucks were pressed into service to bring down the remaining steel structures and lift away the debris.
The demolition was part of an ambitious Chandni Chowk development project aimed at improving the traffic situation at the key junction. Edifice Engineering, the company hired to demolish Noida's Supertech twin towers in August this year, was roped in for the job.
Edifice Engineering has confirmed that the blast carried out on Pune's Chandani Chowk Bridge was successful, District Collector Rajesh Deshmukh said.
"The bridge was demolished at 1am on Sunday through a controlled blast and everything was executed as per the plan. Now, we have pressed earthmover machines, forknails, and trucks to clear the debris from the spot," said Chirag Chheda, co-owner of Edifice Engineering, as quoted by PTI.
Around 600 kg of explosives were used to execute the controlled blast. Chheda said that the blast demolished the concrete and only steel bars were hanging. He added that the quantity of steel used in the construction of the bridge was better than they had expected, reported PTI.
"Once the steel bars are removed using the machines, the remaining structure will also come down," he said.
The demolition was carried out to make way for a multi-level flyover at the junction and the work towards that effect is undergway. On Friday, Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari conducted an aerial inspection of the ongoing bridge work.
(With inputs from PTI, ANI)
