Lok Sabha Question No. 6020 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-04-04
Subject: Repair of Bridges
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: RAJU ALIAS DEVAPPA ANNA SHETTI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6020 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.04.2018

## REPAIR OF BRIDGES

† 6020.  SHRI RAJU SHETTY:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  zone-wise  details  of  the  100  years  old  railway  bridges  in  the country;
- (b) whether any life has been fixed for the railway bridges and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Railways has conducted any survey to ascertain the life of bridges which require repair/renovation and upgradation;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the steps taken by the Railways to revive such bridges who have completed their life span?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

- (a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO. 6020 BY SHRI  RAJU  SHETTY TO BE ANSWERED  IN LOK SABHA ON 04.04.2018 REGARDING REPAIR OF BRIDGES.

(a):  As  on  01.04.2017,  there  are  37,162  railway  bridges,  on  Indian  Railways network,  which  are  more  than  100  years  old.  The  Zone-wise  break-up  is  as below:

| Zonal Railways   | Zonal Railways   |   Central | Eastern   |   East Central |   East Coast |   Northern |   North Central North Eastern |   Northeast Frontier |
|------------------|------------------|-----------|-----------|----------------|--------------|------------|-------------------------------|----------------------|
| No. Bridges      | of               |      4710 | 3119 2754 |            728 |         8691 |        856 |                           650 |                  220 |

| Zonal Railways   | North Western   | Southern   |   South Central |   South Eastern |   South East Central |   South Western |   Western |   West Central |
|------------------|-----------------|------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------------|-----------------|-----------|----------------|
| No. of Bridges   | No. of Bridges  | 871 2849   |            3040 |            2219 |                  919 |             811 |      2858 |           1867 |

(b)  to  (e):  The  age  of  the  bridge  does  not  have  any  direct  relevance  on  the physical  condition  of  the  bridge.  There  is  a  well  established  system  of inspection of bridges on Indian Railways.  All the bridges are inspected twice a year, one before the onset of monsoon and one detailed inspection after the monsoon.    In  addition,  certain  bridges  are  also  inspected  more  frequently depending  upon  their  condition.  Repair  /  strengthening  /  rehabilitation  / rebuilding  of    railway  bridges  is  a  continuous  process  and  is  undertaken whenever  so  warranted  by  their  physical  condition  as  ascertained  during these  inspections  and  not  on  the  basis  of  age.    If  the  corrective  /  remedial measures are expected to take a long duration due to the complexity of the site situation, etc., suitable safety measures like imposing speed restrictions and  keeping  such  bridge  under  close  watch  are  taken  till  the  bridge  is repaired / strengthened / rehabilitated / rebuilt. During last five year (2012-13 to  2016-17),  a  total  of  3675  bridges  have  been  repaired  /  strengthened  / rehabilitated  /  rebuilt  on  Indian  Railways.  As  on  01.04.2017,  a  total  of  3017 railway  bridges  are  sanctioned  for  repaired  /  strengthened  /  rehabilitated  / rebuilt.

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