Unexpected Settlement at Under Construction Bridge on NH 327E in Bihar Triggers Investigation
An incident occurred at the under-construction bridge on the Galgalia – Bahadurganj section of NH 327E in Bihar, raising concerns about the project’s integrity. The construction of the 49 km 4-lane project, awarded to M/s GR Infra Projects Highway Ltd., is currently at 70% completion, with an appointed date of 10th January 2022.
On the afternoon of 23rd June 2023, an unexpected settlement of approximately 600 mm occurred at the pile foundation beneath pier P3 of the major bridge at CH 24+461. The bridge has a span configuration of 1x20m + 5x36m + 1x20m, with a total length of 222 m. The superstructure, consisting of a PSC girder resting over spherical bearings on an RCC circular column and pile foundation with four piles of 1500 mm diameter, was erected in May 2023. Fortunately, there were no casualties or injuries reported among the construction workers, as the bridge is not yet operational.
Preliminary investigations suggest that there has been a sudden rise in water flow from Nepal in the Meachi River, on which the bridge is constructed. These initial findings also indicate that the construction activity led to the channelization of the entire river through the P2-P3-P4 spans, resulting in a constriction of water flow and excessive scour of the sandy river bed. This likely contributed to the settlement of the pile foundation at P3.
In response to the incident, a team of NHAI officers, the concessionaire, and the independent engineer have arrived at the site to carry out necessary preliminary rectification work and prevent any further settlement in the pile foundation at P3.
To ensure an unbiased investigation, the Team Leader & Bridge Engineer of the Independent Engineer, M/s Chaitanya Project Consultancy Pvt. Ltd., and the Sr. Project Manager & Dy. Project Manager (Structure) of the concessionaire, M/s GR Galgalia Bahadurganj Highway Private Limited, have been suspended with immediate effect.
Furthermore, a committee of experts has been constituted to conduct a detailed investigation into the matter and determine the cause of the settlement at P3 on the major bridge at CH 24+461. The committee comprises A. K. Shrivastava, ADG (Retd) of MoRTH, S. K. Sharma, Pr. Tech. Officer – Bridges (Retd.) from CRRI, and Venkatram P. G. from M/s L&T Infrastructure Engineering Limited. The committee is scheduled to visit the site today to carry out their investigation and recommend appropriate remedial measures.
