Lok Sabha Question No. 236 (STARRED), answered on 2022-12-22
Subject: Safety of Bridges on National Highways
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Behanan Benny, Manish Tewari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT & HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO *236 ANSWERED ON 22 nd  DECEMBER, 2022

## SAFETY OF BRIDGES ON NATIONAL HIGHWAYS

*236.   SHRI BENNY BEHANAN SHRI MANISH TEWARI

Will the Minister of Road Transport and Highways

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

## be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  implemented  stringent  measures  to ensure the maintenance and upkeep of old road infrastructure as the bridges on NHs in the country have a twenty-five per cent mortality rate and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  introduce  safeguards  to prevent untrained/unskilled bidders from obtaining public sector contracts and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; (c) whether the Government proposes to devise a framework/policy to evaluate the status and the age of every bridge in the country and if so,
- the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  introduce  a  monitoring mechanism  to  ensure  structural integrity of road infrastructure, especially old bridges; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

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

STATEMENT REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  LOK SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  *236  ANSWERED  ON  22.12.2022 ASKED BY SHRI BENNY BEHANAN AND SHRI MANISH TEWARI REGARDING SAFETY OF BRIDGES ON NATIONAL HIGHWAYS

- (a) Maintenance and development of National Highways (NHs) including bridges thereon is a continuous process. Accordingly, repair / rehabilitation / reconstruction of existing NHs including old/ distressed   bridges  thereon  are  taken  up  on  annual  basis.  Repair  / rehabilitation / reconstruction of old / distressed bridges are taken up either on standalone basis or as part of improvement/ upgradation of sections of NHs. The repair / rehabilitation treatment are decided based on  nature  and  extent  of  different  distresses,  functional  requirement, present loading vis-à-vis loading for which a particular bridge was designed, etc.
- (b) The bidding documents for procurement of contractor/concessionaire for NH  projects under different  modes of   implementation  (EPC/HAM/BOT)  clearly  specify  the  technical  and financial qualification requirements of the bidders. Such qualification requirements  are  decided  based  on  cost  and  size  of  NH  projects including specific project components like bridges / tunnels.  Further, to ensure construction of roads as per standards and specifications laid down in contract/concession agreement and to avoid project delays, Ministry vide circular dated 06.10.2021 and dated 04.01.2022 has issued SOP to debar/penalize/declare as Non-Performer the contractor/concessionaire in NHs and other centrally sponsored road projects.
- (c ) to ( e)  Year of construction/approximate age of a bridge is generally known  except  some  old  bridges.  Ministry  follow  a  well-established system of inspection/maintenance protocol for periodical assessment of  physical  condition  of  bridges.  Indian  Roads  Congress(IRC)  has published  manual  /  detailed  guidelines  for  inspection  and  condition survey of bridges. MoRT&H has also issued guidelines for this purpose. MoRT&H has collected inventory and condition data of all bridges on NHs through consultants between 2015 to 2019. Bridge inspection was principally  carried  out  using  Mobile  Bridge  Inspection  Unit  for  close access  to  different  critical  components  of  the  bridges.  Recently, MoRT&H  has  engaged  a consultant for development of Bridge Management  System  (BMS)  for  NHs,  which  will  provide  an  online platform for monitoring health of all bridges on NHs in the country.

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