KARACHI, July 7: Resumption of heavy traffic flow within the city and upcountry from Teen Hatti bridge might take up to three months, due to severe damage caused by a fire on June 25, while its repair work has been initiated by the concerned department of the City Government.
According to EDO Works and Services, Zaheer Qadri, tests are being conducted to ascertain the severity of damage caused to pillars, girders and other parts of the bridge which is being done by senior consultant and a team of City Government engineers.
Consultants, Irshad Nabi Associates, have already presented their report, detailing about the situation of the bridge and recommendations for its revival, which might take upto four weeks, while their service charges will be Rs200,000.
The main job of a consultant is to investigate the situation, laboratory testing, report, recommendations, chalking out the construction methodology, while the consultant will also supervize the construction work and quality control.
Among the whole process, the most difficult task is to assess the real damage caused to the structure which will be done with the help of a number of tests, involving extraction of concrete cores from bridge components and testing to ascertain strength of the concrete.
Irshad Nabi has recommended extraction of 12 cores of 3 to 4 inches diameter as appropriate, besides Schmidt hammer tests and testing of reinforcing steel bars. The chemical test of Lyari River water will also be done.
A team of engineers from the W&S department are working closely with the consultants and have already started work, with daily reports being sent to the EDO.
The contractor might take another eight weeks for completion of the job, which include repair and restoration of piers, girders, transoms, diaphragm and slabs after the cutting and removal of damaged concrete. The bridge as well as 200ft up and downstream of the riverbed will be removed and the contractor will ensure channelization of the same before handing over the job.
The Teen Hatti bridge situated over the Lyari River at Sharae Pakistan, linking Liaquatabad Town and Jamshed Town, was closed to heavy traffic after sustaining heavy damage in a fire that broke out under it at an Afghan garbage yard. It caused injuries to a number of dwellers and damaged nearby houses and florists’ shops.
As a result, movement of heavy traffic including public and private buses, wagons, tankers and all heavy vehicles leaving the city for Hyderabad and upcountry were stopped from using the bridge. The EDO (W&S) officially requested EDO (Transport) to keep the bridge closed and arrange an alternate route for heavy traffic.
The fire which was reported at about 6:30am was extinguished in a couple of hours. It caused severe damage to the structure of the bridge and according to the consultants, Irshad Nabi, if the fire had continued for another hour, the bridge would have been damaged beyond repair.
The first team of engineers belonging to the W&S department who investigated the site had to call in a couple of fire tenders again to cool down the heated structure and clear off the thick layer of soot accumulated over it.
Keeping in view the earliest reports presented by engineers of the City Government and remarks made by Irshad Nabi, EDO (W&S) also issued an official request to all concerned to ensure that warehouses, storage dumps, encroachments, accumulation of garbage and cattle fodder storage are removed from under bridges.
This letter was sent to City Nazim, DCO Nazimeen, TMOS and TPOs of all the 18 Towns, executive officers of all cantonment boards in Karachi, KPT chairman, SKKA director and the DHA administrator.—PPI