Volvos demolish Indian bridge
Population growth demands new infrastructure
Matte & Associates roped in to execute demolition
Volvo CE equipment has been used to demolish an old bridge in Jharkhand, 20 km from Calcutta, with the machines taking 60 days to bring the structure to the ground.
West Bengal in eastern India is the nation’s fourth most populous region, and the Indian government is trying to demolish old structures and invest in modern infrastructure to ease congestion. The state is bordered by Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and five other states of India with more than 91 million inhabitants spread over 34,267 m2 – more than the total population of Germany.
The one-kilometre stretch of bridge ran over a dry river bed and railway. Since work started, 30 out of the 32 sections ? each spanning 26 metres – have been demolished and disposed of. It took just two months to take down and clear away the remnants.
Mumbai-based Matte & Associates – a construction and demolition company – and Volvo CE is responsible for the bridge’s quick demise. Matte & Associates is among the leading demolition firms in India, with a string of high profile accomplishments under its belt.
The company was established in 1987 and over the past 10 years has expanded into residential, waterproofing, structural repairs, rehabilitation and drilling works. Today, the company has a fleet of specialized demolition tools and specializes in the demolition and recycling of concrete.
The company’s demolition fleet includes four heavy-duty Volvo CE excavators; an EC210 B-Series, EC210 B-Prime, EC290 B-Series and EC290B-Prime.
They have been hard at work for nearly five years, demolishing bridges, multi-storied buildings, roads and other structures across the country.
“Today, the machines are still in excellent working condition, just like they were five years ago,” says Mr. Ram Matte, owner of Matte & Associates. “Every job we undertake presents tough challenges and calls for solid planning, and innovative thinking.
“We took the bridge down so quickly that if people weren’t already familiar with it, they would never know it even existed. Our Volvos have helped ensure that. Any demolition equipment must deliver on safety, comfort, reach, power and control to make a difference. In fact, the first two – safety and comfort – are critical because demolition is a hazardous business. The Volvo CE demolition excavators B-Series and B-Prime deliver on all counts.”
Matte & Associates was among three contractors shortlisted for the prestigious Demolition & Recycling International World Demolition Awards in the Civil Category 2011 – the first and only Indian demolition company to achieve this. “If you ask me, pulling down structures is twice as hard as putting them up,” says Matte. “But when you have a couple of Volvos around, they can make it look like child’s play.”
