The Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) has started a load test of the delayed Sodala flyover as a part of its safety evaluation of the infrastructure.
The test will take 24 hours and is mandatory for flyovers beginning near Hilton under the supervision of the Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT) expert team. The Authority has placed eight lorries each to carry 28 tonnes of large aggregate over the flyover. An engineer said that load testing is crucial to find whether the flyover can carry its designed load. After putting the weight, the team checked the girder on either side of the flyover. Also, equipment was placed under the bridge to show the deflection of the girders. An official said that the flyover work might finish by this month-end. The work on three spans is ongoing, and the Authority will soon complete the work by this month. However, the new commissioner had set the deadline as 1 June. After the elevated road is operational, the speed will improve to 60 km per hour. Further, four ramps will be constructed under this project for traffic to ascend and descend from the stretch. Commuters can reach Ajmer Road through Hawa Sadak in just 10 minutes. Commuters from Ambedkar Circle can ascend at Nandpuri near Hilton Hotel through the ramp. The municipal corporation has constructed a 1.8 km long elevated structure from Ajmer Road for commuters. An official said, according to the latest survey, 7,135 passenger car units (PCUs) pass per hour on Bhawani Singh Road, compared to its capacity of 5,143 PCU. This number has increased over the last five years. He added that the elevated road would provide much relief for travelling to all commuters. Image Source