&w=3840&q=100)
'Don't make me unnecessarily famous', says Chenab bridge project engineer
'I salute the millions of unsung heroes,' said G Madhavi Latha, a Higher Administrative Grade (HAG) professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. She served as a geotechnical consultant to Afcons, the engineering firm that executed the construction of the Chenab Bridge. 'My role was to help in developing slope stabilisation schemes and design of foundations on slope,' she wrote in a LinkedIn post shortly after the inauguration.
A veteran of the project for 17 years, Latha distanced herself from headlines that referred to her as the 'woman behind the mission' or someone who 'performed miracles to build the bridge'. She called such descriptions 'baseless' and urged the public not to single her out.
'Please don't make me unnecessarily famous,' she said. 'I am one of the thousands who deserve appreciation for Chenab Bridge.'
Currently attending a conference in Spain, she expressed gratitude to those who reached out with congratulations. 'Many fathers have written to me saying that they want their daughters to become like me. Many young kids have written to me that they now want to take up Civil Engineering as their career choice,' Latha shared.
In a touching tribute, she said, 'All glory belongs to Indian Railways,' acknowledging both the national transporter and Afcons for executing what many once considered an impossible task.
The Chenab Bridge is part of the ambitious Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project, designed to enhance connectivity in the Kashmir Valley. Built at a cost of ₹1,486 crore, the project faced formidable challenges including harsh terrain, seismic vulnerabilities, and unpredictable geology.
Latha and her team played a pivotal role in steering the bridge through these obstacles. Their approach—described as 'design-as-you-go'—meant adapting to real-time discoveries such as fractured rock layers and hidden cavities that earlier surveys had not detected. Her expertise in rock anchor design and slope stability was critical in ensuring the safety and success of the project.
She has documented this technical journey in a paper titled 'Design as You Go: The Case Study of Chenab Railway Bridge', published in the Indian Geotechnical Journal's special issue dedicated to women engineers.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
11 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Animal lovers protest SC ruling on stray dogs, demand humane solutions
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Candlelight flickered in front of the Secretariat on Sunday evening as animal lovers gathered under the banner of 'India Unites For Animals', a protest organised by People for Animals (PFA) Trivandrum. The protest was in the wake of a recent Supreme Court order that allows mass confinement of street dogs. Holding placards and candles, protesters called for scientific and compassionate alternatives to street dog management, including sterilisation, vaccination, licensing, and community-supported care systems. PFA Trivandrum secretary Latha Indira described the court order as 'reactionary' and lacking a practical foundation. 'It is a reaction to a single news item without deeper thinking. India doesn't have enough shelters, and the existing ones run by NGOs are already overcrowded. You cannot just confine animals somewhere without feeding, vaccinating, or sterilising them,' said Latha. Protestors warned that indiscriminate confinement would lead to suffering and violate both animal welfare norms. They emphasised the importance of the ABC (Animal Birth Control) programme but were also critical of its limitations. 'We are doing a genocide of native dogs. By pushing only for sterilisation, we are saying we don't want them to reproduce. What's the alternative? We need licensing, public awareness, and responsible ownership. We also need government support, not just token programmes,' said Latha. She argued that most dog bites reported as 'stray dog attacks' were in fact from pet animals.
Deccan Herald
4 days ago
- Deccan Herald
From rare sight to common symbol: Tiranga now flies freely across Kashmir
Political observers caution that while the flag's visibility has increased, it does not necessarily mean the Valley's complex political sentiments have been resolved. 'Symbolism is important, but it's not the same as reconciliation,' said a Srinagar-based political analyst.
New Indian Express
11-08-2025
- New Indian Express
'Good town planning is backbone of liveable city', says Tushar Girinath
Infrastructure bottlenecks and governance gridlocks hobble Bengaluru's long, arduous trek to be a nerve centre of creativity and the beating heart of modern India. The city needs pace; it also needs peace. Additional Chief Secretary Tushar Girinath, a technocrat who has seen from close quarters the rapid growth of the megapolis, in an interaction with TNIE says, contrary to widespread criticism, the tunnel road project connecting Hebbal to Central Silk Board is an idea whose time has come, while putting a plethora of administrative challenges in perspective. Excerpts: There's criticism that the government is rushing the tunnel road project without proper consultation. Why the hurry? There's no hurry. Bengaluru's roads are choking. The average speed across the city has dropped to what experts classify as Grade F — the worst possible level. Whether it's elevated corridors or tunnel roads, both are on the table because the number of vehicles almost equals our population. Any project, whichever one you pick, will take four to five years to materialise. Of course, every big project will have pros and cons. But this isn't being done in a vacuum. We've worked with mobility experts, followed the prescribed circulation studies, and consulted plans before moving ahead. Have scientific studies been done before pushing the tunnel road project? Yes, studies have been done, including soil studies and detailed traffic assessments. Since this is a toll-based project, financial projections had to be worked out carefully. We're using a modified BOOT (Build, Own, Operate, Transfer) model, where the private party invests its own money upfront and recovers it through toll collection. The government only provides the Viability Gap Support. While some say we're hurrying, within the government, there's concern that we've taken too long, that there's been too much back-and-forth and too little movement. Several studies, including one by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), suggest tunnel roads could be a disaster for Bengaluru. That study is not the official view of IISc. It's the opinion of one professor. IISc professors work independently, and they're free to share their thoughts. If someone points out a mistake, we're ready to look into it and make changes. But just saying 'don't do this' without giving any workable solution doesn't help. Take elevated roads — they sound good in theory. Even I was in favour of them earlier. But our roads are narrow and uneven — they go from four lanes to three in many places. If we start building pillars there, traffic will come to a total stop. That's why we're looking at tunnel roads only in the most congested spots. Yes, some underpasses in the world don't work well — but many do.
