Following the collapse of a foot over bridge near Mumbai CST, the Indian Stainless Steel Development Association, the apex body of stainless steel manufacturers, has emphasised the importance of using the best material available for such common infrastructure.

KK Pahuja, President, ISSDA, said there is an urgent need for choosing the best material for a safe and maintenance-free infrastructure.

Stainless steel

“We appeal to the local civic authorities and the departments concerned to adopt stainless steel in all infrastructure projects, as it would enhance lifecycle and durability,” he said.

The Indian Railways is already relying on stainless steel for its upcoming infrastructure along with other utilities, he added.

A case in point is the proposed stainless steel foot-over bridge at Bhayandar station in Mumbai by the Indian Railways. ISSDA is ready to provide all support in the form of technical know how and hand holding to the government and civic authorities in this matter, he said.

As per industry data, around 1,35,000 rail bridges exist in India, of which about 25 per cent are over 100 years old and need immediate replacement.

Unstable bridges

Though more than 1,000 bridges are rehabilitated every year, there is a huge backlog in rebuilding these bridges. Also, India has a coastline of 7,500 km which mandates the need for a stainless steel infrastructure. Given the high air-borne salts in marine environments, bridges in these areas are exposed to rapid corrosion.

Infrastructure in the current ecosystem requires easy design and fabrication, reduced life-cycle cost, resistance to corrosion and fire, high strength-to-weight ratio, and quick turnaround time for project completion. All these properties are inherent to stainless steel, making it the optimum choice for the nation’s infrastructure, Pahuja said.

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