Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A major accident was narrowly avoided at the 40-year-old Kerwa Dam bridge on Tuesday when a large concrete slab above Gate No. 8 suddenly collapsed. Fortunately, no one was present at the time. After the incident, water resources minister Tulsiram Silawat visited the site on Wednesday to inspect the damage and directed officials to begin immediate repair work.
According to department officials, slabs above three of the dam’s eight gates have already collapsed, while the remaining structure is in a highly deteriorated state due to rusted reinforcement bars and crumbling concrete.
Silawat announced that Kerwa Dam footbridge would be rebuild within five months at an estimated cost of Rs 5 crore. All eight ageing gates will also be replaced.
He further ordered a statewide technical inspection of all dams across Madhya Pradesh, directing officials to prepare reports on the condition of gates and bridges in every river basin. Dams older than 40 years will undergo immediate upgrade while structures over 25 years old will be prioritised in three categories based on urgency.
The minister sought a detailed report from the department and said that such incidents should not occur again in any dam across the state.
