Indian government commissions feasibility study into bridge from engineering firm Gifford

Engineering firm Gifford is carrying out a feasibility study for a new bridge across the River Ganges.

The company has been commissioned by the government of Bihar, India, to assess a proposed crossing over a 10km wide stretch of the flood plains in the north-west of the country.

Due to the width of the Ganges 鈥� which flows from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal 鈥� the bridge is likely to be at least 5km between abutments, Gifford said.

The firm added that any building project would be complicated by silty sands on the river bed and strong currents, which can destabilise bridge supports.

Work on the study, including hydraulic modelling and geotechnical research, is due to start in the next few weeks.

The scheme is part of a wider project to build a new road link between towns on each side of the river. Gifford鈥檚 study will also look at road infrastructure.