Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is primarily responsible for development and maintenance of National Highways in the country. There has been a few incidences of collapse of bridges on National Highways in the country. The details of collapse of bridges during each of the last three years including the lives lost, details of investigations carried out and action taken against defaulting contractors/concessionaires, wherever applicable are attached at Annexure.

Ministry carry out condition survey of existing bridges as part of preparation of detailed project report for NH development works for a section of NH and repair/rehabilitation/reconstruction of existing bridges are taken up as part of corridor development project. Ministry has issued guidelines for bridge inspection and condition survey of the existing bridges followed by appropriate repair/rehabilitation/reconstruction based on nature and severity of distresses. Ministry has issued policy guidelines and model bidding documents for real time structural health monitoring of bridges on continuous/ discrete manner. Ministry has also started comprehensive Indian Bridge Management System for condition assessment of bridges and subsequent decision making process for repair/rehabilitation/reconstruction.

AANNEXURE

This information was given by the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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MJPS/GS