PATNA: Groundwork for the rehabilitation of the Mahatma Gandhi Setu has started as AFCON Infrastructure Ltd , the firm selected by the ministry of road, transport and highways for the ambitious project, has started putting construction fences on the bridge and brought concrete crushing cranes from Germany.The existing concrete road-deck of the 34-year-old bridge is proposed to be dismantled and steel frames are to be erected under the proposed rehabilitation work. The western flank of the bridge — Patna to Hajipur — is proposed to be demolished first. The demolition work will commence from Hajipur-end.AFCONS was awarded the contract for the project on November 19 last year and it began mobilization of resources thereafter. Construction barricades started getting erected on Hajipur-end of the bridge from the beginning of this week. Besides, one jaw-cutting machine and two diamond-cutting machines have also been brought at the site."As per the proposed plan, the western flank of the bridge will be demolished first on different stretches. Accordingly, the contractor has started putting construction fences and other equipment at the site. A final decision with regard to commencement of demolition work on the bridge is likely to be taken at a high-level meeting on February 16," said a senior official in state road construction department.The meeting to be held on February 16 would be attended by Bihar chief secretary Anjani Kumar Singh, DGP P K Thakur and senior officials from the ministry of road transport and highways and the state road construction department.PM Narendra Modi was initially scheduled to commission the rehabilitation work on the setu on January 15 but the programme was postponed owing to the boat tragedy in the Sabbalpur diara area which claimed 24 lives.Earlier this week (February 8), a meeting was held in New Delhi between Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari and deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav , who also holds the portfolio of minister of road construction department. Tejashwi requested the Centre to commence the rehabilitation work on the Setu only after arrangements for alternative traffic arrangements and mobilization of resources.Unavailability of alternative traffic arrangement is a matter of concern for the state authorities. It was initially proposed that two pontoon bridges would be made ready before the commissioning of the bridge. However, the erection of pontoon bridges got delayed owing to floods in August-September last year. Senior officials in the road construction department claimed that the pontoon bridge on the eastern side is expected to be ready by the end of this month.

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