Repair work commenced on the Income Tax flyover in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, following the discovery of loose expansion joints connecting two spans. This development comes a mere five months after a professional inspection report had labelled the flyover's overall condition as 'good'.
Structural Safety Assured, Defect Limited to Joints
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) was quick to clarify the nature of the problem. In an official statement, the civic body emphasized that the defect is confined to the finger-type expansion joints and does not compromise the structural safety or integrity of the flyover itself. The issue was identified as loose bolts within the joint assembly.
The six-year-old flyover, built at a cost of Rs 65.5 crore, is now undergoing repairs where the loose bolts will be replaced. The repair process also involves using epoxy and micro-concrete to fix the expansion joint. Notably, the AMC stated that this specific component remains under the guarantee period of the original contracting firm, Ranjit Buildcon Ltd, which is consequently carrying out the repair work at its own expense.
Opposition Questions Inspection Quality
The timing of the defect has raised serious questions from opposition leaders. Shehzad Khan Pathan, the leader of the opposition in the AMC, pointed out the recent history of bridge inspections in the city. Following the demolition of the Hatkeshwar flyover due to quality concerns, the AMC had initiated a post-monsoon inspection of all bridges, flyovers, underpasses, and culverts.
For this task, the consultancy firm Geo Design & Research Pvt Ltd was assigned 34 bridges, which included the Income Tax flyover. This firm submitted its inspection report on July 9, 2024, declaring the flyover's structure to be in 'overall good' condition. Pathan questioned how the expansion joints could fail so quickly thereafter, asking whether the inspecting company had properly examined them. He has demanded that the consultant be blacklisted immediately.
Background and Broader Scrutiny
The incident has cast a spotlight on the robustness of the city's infrastructure audit processes. The inspection five months ago was part of a wider safety drive undertaken by the AMC. Two consulting firms, Pankaj M Patel Consultant Pvt Ltd and Geo Design & Research Pvt Ltd, were tasked with inspecting 35 and 34 bridges respectively.
While the AMC maintains that the current issue is a minor, guarantee-covered repair, the political opposition is leveraging it to highlight potential lapses in oversight and quality assurance. The situation underscores the ongoing challenge of maintaining urban infrastructure and the critical importance of thorough, reliable inspection regimes to ensure public safety.
