ECR GM inspects ongoing ‘Munger Ganga Setu’ Rail-cum-Road over bridge works

ECR GM inspects ongoing ‘Munger Ganga Setu’ Rail-cum-Road over bridge works

Munger: General Manager of East Central Railway (ECR) Mr.Madhuresh Kumar on Wednesday inspected the ongoing work on rail cum road bridge over the Ganga at Munger. A team of railway officials, including Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), construction, L.M.Jha accompanied the GM.

Expressing satisfaction over the pace of work, Kumar directed the railway officials concerned to expedite work and complete the project within the stipulated time. Railways has set the deadline for commissioning the bridge by year-end, he said, adding railways has almost completed the work of laying 31 girders from both ends of the bridge while track laying work is being carried out.

The GM is personally monitoring work on three mega bridges being built in Bihar. The 3,190 metres long Munger bridge is likely to incur an expenditure of about Rs 2,361.86 crore. Earlier, it was estimated to cost about Rs 921 crore. According to an ECR official, railways and state government are sharing Rs 1,247 crore and Rs 1,116 crore, respectively. The bridge would link Sahebpur Kamal station on north side and Jamalpur station in the south, he said adding the NH 31 and state road would also be linked on completion of this bridge.

The three mega projects of Railways in Bihar are at Digha (Patna), Munger and Nirmali. These bridges would open floodgates for further improving the state’s socioeconomic condition, sources said. An official said railways has chalked out various plans for the development of this region, but, it may miss the deadline if the state government failed to resolve the local issues. Compensation was also due to several villagers.

Munger Ganga Setu, is a rail-cum-road bridge under construction across the Ganga, at Munger in the Indian state of Bihar.

The 3.19 km long bridge costing Rs. 9,300 million is located 55 km downstream of the Rajendra Setu near Mokama and 68 km upstream of the Vikramshila Setu at Bhagalpur. The bridge will form a link between NH 80 on the southern side of the Ganges and NH 31 on the northern side of the Ganges. It will also help to connect Jamalpur Junction on the Sahibganj Loop line of Eastern Railway to Sahebpur Kamal Junction on the Barauni-Katihar section of East Central Railway. The Bridge will connect districts of Begusarai and Khagaria to the Divisional headquarters Munger city.

Construction work on the bridge was inaugurated by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister, through video conference system, in 2002.