After eight months of restricted traffic, the Meghalaya government has approved the resumption of two-way traffic on the Umiam Bridge starting July 30, following the completion of essential repairs. The Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) initiated the repair work last December to address structural concerns. The project involved replacing bridge bearings, adjusting expansion joints, and incrementally raising the bridge structure by 5-10 mm to enhance stability.
During the repair period, traffic between Guwahati and Shillong was limited to one-way, causing significant delays and traffic snarls on both sides of the bridge. “After extensive discussions by the high-powered committee on the repair and reopening of the bridge, we have decided to allow two-way traffic from Tuesday morning, restricted to vehicles carrying loads under 4 metric tons,” stated Power Minister AT Mondal to PTI on Monday.
The high-powered committee meeting included district authorities, consultants from IIT-Guwahati, and Public Works Department officials. Mondal highlighted that the repairs, which included retrofitting the bridge and addressing issues above the spillway, amounted to Rs 19.9 crore. He assured that ongoing minor tasks, such as repairing cracks in the upstream phase of the bridge, will not disrupt vehicle movement.
