Meghalaya, Mar 20: On the NH 40, the Shillong-Silchar Highway, an existing bridge at Barapani junction was declared unfit for heavy vehicle traffic due to the development of vertical cracks on the main beams and piers of the bridge. On Dec 3rd 2020, NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) approached the Border Roads Organization (BRO) for this job. They constructed a 230 feet continuous span Bailey bridge over the already existing Hamilton bridge. Usually, construction of new bridge would have taken at least three years, but BRO commenced launching the bridge on March 11 and completed it on March 15, within a whopping five days. This action has been highly applauded and appreciated all over India.
* Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is a part of the Indian Armed Forces that deals with maintaining road networks in India’s border areas and friendly neighboring countries. So far, they have constructed roads, permanent bridges, airfields, and also assisted snow clearance in strategic locations.
* Bailey and Hamilton are two kinds of portable, pre-fabricated truss (framework) bridges. The latter is stronger and simpler in design concept than the former.
