SHILLONG, MAY 13: The rehabilitation of the Umiam dam and retrofitting of the bridge are likely to be completed by the end of July, after the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati has suggested going for concrete surfacing of the top of the structure.

Informing this on Monday, Power Minister AT Mondal said, “Last week I had visited the dam and there is a question whether the surface will be bitumen surface or reinforced surface. We consulted the IITG and the IITG is suggesting that we should go for concrete surface because of many technical reasons.”

“Accordingly, we are now removing all those bitumen from the top of the bridge and also from the dam and so also the previous surface, which has been laid there. Definition we will go as per the decision of the IITG,” he added.

According to him, the curing of the concrete laying will take around 28 days approximately.

Asked, Mondal said, “The original plan was to go for bitumen surfacing and then to complete the bridge on schedule (June) but because of this new requirement we will offshoot a little bit as we will take some more time.”

He also added that the people, who are travelling through the road, are facing a lot of problems but it is done for the good.

“We will try to finish it by July or first week of August because in bitumen what happens when we lay the bitumen vehicles can travel on that but when we go for RCC we cannot allow the vehicle to pass on top of the casted concrete,” the minister assured.

Further, Mondal informed that the lifespan of the dam will be increased by another 20 years after the rehabilitation work is completed.

“We expect that maybe by around 20 years, we can go as we got to understand the situation now or never situation and in this now or never situation, we have got to take extra precaution to see that we finish this retrofitting work,” he said.

Meanwhile, the minister informed that the government of Meghalaya is taking priority to come up with an alternative bridge.

“The plan is to have a permanent bridge. That alignment was given to NHIDCL and they will be finalising the alignment,” he added.

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