Bhagalpur: The national highway wing in the state road construction department (RCD) and the Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Limited (BRPNNL) have sought opinions from engineering experts after the redundant (temporary) ‘jacket ring’ around the pillars of the Vikramshila Setu over the river Ganga in Bhagalpur was damaged on Friday evening, triggering rumours about possible damage to the bridge. The two organisations are currently continuing with the inspection of the bridge following the incident.Although there is no damage to the main structural pillars and reinforced cement concrete (RCC) slabs of the bridge, district officials have favoured conducting a “structural audit” of the bridge in view of the damage to the redundant jacket ring to examine whether there are any visible signs of distress in the structure of the bridge, such as widening cracks or water seepage.A structural audit is a comprehensive examination of RCC bridges or buildings to identify the overall safety and stability of the structure and to assess the condition of critical load-bearing elements such as the foundations of RCC structures, columns, beams and slabs to detect signs of deterioration or potential hazards, said a civil engineer from Bhagalpur College of Engineering.Chief engineer of the national highway (south) wing, RCD, Sanjay Bharati said the Vikramshila Setu is completely safe and normal vehicular traffic is continuing without disruption, adding that there is no damage to the main structures of the bridge or any of its pillars. “We are seeking opinions from the engineering experts as a precautionary measure and will act further for the safety of the bridge on their recommendations,” he said. The Vikramshila Setu was opened and became fully functional more than 25 years ago in 2001.Sub-divisional officer (sadar) Vikas Kumar said they are closely monitoring the situation along with engineering experts from the national highway wing and BRPNNL. Required intervention, if necessary, would be carried out after the “structural audit” of the bridge is conducted, Kumar said, describing the Setu as a very important road link over the river Ganga that connects the southern end of the river with the northern end.
