Table of Contents
Why in NEWS?
- The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has inventorized 1,72,517 bridges/structures under Indian Bridge Management System (IBMS)
- These structures comprise 1,34,229 culverts, 32,806 minor bridges, 3,647 major and 1,835 extra-long bridges.
What is it?
- BMS creates an inventory of all bridges in the country and rate their structural condition so that timely repair and rehabilitation work can be carried out based on the criticality of the structure.
- IBMS is the largest platform in the world owned by a single owner, with database that could exceed 1,50,000 bridge structures. So far 1,15,000 bridges have been inventorized, of which 85,000 are culverts and the rest are bridges.
Necessity?
- Lack of any data base on bridges in the country has led to a situation where there is no clear idea about the exact number and location of bridges. Hence, it has become difficult to maintain bridges in proper working condition.
- Poor condition of bridges hampers efficient transport and has also led to accidents and loss of lives on several occasions.
How it operates?
- Unique identification number
- Bridge Location Number.
- Bridge Classification Number to the structure.
- Structural Rating Number.
- Socio-Economic Bridge Rating Number
- Based on this inventory IBMS will analyse data and identify bridges that need attention. Further inspection will be carried out wherever required to improve the operational availability of the structure, enhance its life and prioritize repair and rehabilitation work. The data will help to decide which bridge needs critical attention, or which needs to be rebuilt.
- A Structural Rating Number (SRN) will be assigned to bridge structures on a scale of 0 to 9, based on following measures: integral and non-integral deck
- Substructure • superstructure structural evaluation • bank and channel • deck geometry • waterway efficiency • vertical clearance.com