• The Madras Engineering Group of the Indian Army completed the construction of the 190-ft-long Bailey bridge that will help connect the worst-affected areas of Mundakkai and Chooralmala in Wayanad district which were hit by devastating landslides.

• The construction of the bridge started at 9.30 pm on July 31 and was completed by 5.30 pm on August 1.

• The panels, each 10ft long, for the Bailey bridge were shipped from  Bengaluru in 20 trucks to Chooralmala. A total of 19 steel panels were used to build the 190-ft bridge, which is supported by a single pier.

• The Class 24 Bailey Bridge constructed in Wayanad district will connect Chooralmala with Mundakkai over the Iruvanjippuzha River.

• The Army medical unit and a military truck passed through the bridge, after which it was handed over to the civil administration.

• The bridge connecting the two places had washed away in the devastating landslide that happened on July 30.

What is Bailey bridge?

• The Bailey bridge is a portable, pre-fabricated truss bridge renowned for its quick assembly, modularity, and strength. 

• Designed by Sir Donald Coleman Bailey, a British civil servant and engineer, this bridge played a crucial role during World War II.

• Bailey’s concept was approved in late 1940. His design aimed to create a strong yet lightweight prefabricated steel truss bridge that could be rapidly deployed in war zones to replace destroyed infrastructure. 

• The design responded to the urgent need for versatile, easily transportable, and quickly assembled bridges that could support heavy military loads, including tanks and other vehicles.

• Bailey bridges were deployed by the British Army in 1942 during the North African campaign. 

• Their effectiveness led to widespread adoption by Allied forces throughout the war, revolutionising military engineering. 

• These bridges provided a critical solution for rapidly restoring transportation routes and supporting military operations in various theaters of war.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)