Bally Bridge develops crater

A team of officials from Indian Railways and the National Highway Authorities of India (NHAI) today visited the spot for examining the three feet wide and over one foot deep crater. The layers of the asphalt have eroded exposing the bolts and metal body of the bridge.

“The authorities come and do a hasty patchwork on the damaged part and few months later, craters reappear,” a local said.

Built in 1932, the Bally Bridge provides both a rail and road connection between the two banks of the Hooghly river.

In April 2007, one of the steel girders near the Bally end of the bridge had developed a crack at the same spot where the present crater lies. This time a comprehensive repair work of the bridge is expected to start and the traffic flow will be restricted till works are completed.