The tanker that has been dangling on Gambhira Bridge in Vadodara for last three weeks after the bridge collapsed in Gujarat killing 21 people and injuring several others, is being removed. Finally. All the people, mainly workers were going to their work when the bridge collapsed on July 9 morning.
A chemical laden tanker became the poster of the tragedy after it dangled between the two parts of the bridge when they fell apart. Now, Gujarat government, after three weeks has begun work to remove the tanker from the accident sight. A marine salvage company has been engaged for the task.
Porbandar-based Marine Emergency Response Centre (MERC), which has further engaged a team of international experts from Singapore for the task.
According to Anand district collector Praveen Chaudhary, a 20-member team from MERC is stationed in Bamangam for the recovery, which is expected to take a couple of days. He noted that MERC, which specialises in cargo ship salvage operations involving weights of over 500 tonnes, will be applying balloon technology to lift the 12-tonne tanker.
As Vibes of India reported earlier, flexible high-pressure airbags will be placed beneath the vehicle and inflated to raise its front end, which has been dangling since the bridge collapsed. Chaudhary confirmed that rigging work on the broken slab was completed by the MERC team on Friday.
Officials said the entire bridge site has been cordoned off and that no personnel would be allowed on the structure during the final phase of the operation. Sources indicated that the chief minister has insisted the process be carried out with zero incidents. They also said that MERC is undertaking the task without charging any fee.
MERC had also secured the Singapore-flagged container vessel Wan Hai 503. We may recall it caught fire off the Kozhikode coast in Kerala on June 8.
The ship, en route from Colombo to Mumbai, was carrying over 800 tonnes of industrial chemicals, it was widely reported. For the uninitiated, the tanker had delivered a load of hydrochloric acid in Ahmedabad. It was returning to Dahej for a refill, and was caught on the section of the bridge that gave way.
Chaudhary told the media house that engineering constraints resulted in the delay in pulling the tanker out. He explained that the vehicle rests on Pier 5, a cantilevered structure that extends horizontally and is unsupported at one end. Since the pier is not bearing the load effectively and the tanker is tilted toward the river, the task is particularly complex.
The vehicle belongs to Shivam Roadlines in Ankleshwar. The owner has been pushing for its prompt recovery as he continues to pay a monthly EMI of about Rs 1 lakh. Its driver lived to tell a tale — he jumped to safety just in the nick of time. He held on to a stable section of the bridge as he watched people plunge into the river.
Chaudhary also said he requested the state-level bankers for a four-month deferment of payments.
Also Read: Morbi Bridge Collapse: Court Allows Prime Accused Jaysukh Patel To Enter District https://www.vibesofindia.com/morbi-bridge-collapse-court-allows-prime-accused-jaysukh-patel-to-enter-district/
