What is the Bailey Bridge that is constructed after landslides in Wayanad?

July 30th was an unfortunate day for Kerala as a deadly landslide hit Wayanand district of the state. As of August 4, the disaster has left more than 219 people dead. More than 206 people are still missing. Rescue operations began soon after the disaster. The army has been working since then and the National Disaster Relief Fund is also helping to ease the situation. The Navy and Coast Guard have also been deployed to help people.

Rescue operations have been working hard to save as many lives as possible. However, the problem seems to be the excessive rainfall in the area. The disaster coupled with heavy rain has made the situation worse, making the transportation of supplies and personnel extremely difficult.

To solve this problem, India built a “Bailey bridge”. The bridge was assembled in Chooralmala. The bridge will lead to the village of Mundakkao. This village is one of the areas worst affected by landslides. The Madras Engineers Corps of the Indian Army built the bridge.

Before we learn more about the bridge and the disaster, let’s first understand what a Bailey Bridge actually is.

What exactly is a Bailey Bridge?

Bailey bridges are a type of modular bridge. In this type of bridge, the individual parts of the bridge are pre-built. This means that they require minimal construction work, making assembly work faster at the desired location.

The Bailey bridge originated during wartime. The Bailey bridge was invented by British civil engineer Donald Coleman Bailey during World War II.

Bridge Operation

As mentioned above, the parts of this type of bridge are prefabricated, so the parts only need to be assembled. The steel plates connected by pins are prefabricated parts. These pins are actually huge, screw-like objects that are used to make the guardrails of the bridge.

Workers build the bridge deck by placing beams through the guardrails on either side of the bridge. The beams are structured so that they can be locked to the bridge’s guardrails.

The structure of this bridge is very clever and can be extended easily. The light weight of the bridge components makes it easy to move. This type of bridge is very useful in war or disaster situations. This bridge does not require any heavy equipment for installation, which makes it perfect for such critical situations. In this way, the parts of the bridge can be transported with the help of vehicles used in wartime, such as trucks, and can be assembled easily.

Specifications of Bailey Bridge in Wayanand District, Kerala

The Bailey bridge is 190 feet long. This bridge is very important for the transportation of ambulances and heavy machinery. The load-bearing capacity of this bridge is 24 tons. This bridge will be used until a permanent bridge is constructed in the area.

Summarize

Despite the daunting challenges in Wayanand district of Kerala on July 30, the Bailey bridge deployed by the Indian Army’s Madras Engineer Regiment provided crucial support. Modular bridges are popular for their quick assembly and wartime origins. In times of crisis like these, the bridge is a temporary but vital solution until a permanent bridge is built.