Context:
The Indian Army constructed a 190-foot Bailey bridge in landslide-hit Wayanad, Kerala, to aid rescue operations.
Bailey bridge:
- A type of portable, pre-fabricated, truss bridge
- Extensively used during World War II.
- Purpose – Designed for rapid deployment by military engineering units to provide temporary bridges capable of supporting tanks and other military vehicles.
- Invented by – Sir Donald Coleman Bailey, a civil servant in the British War Office.
- 1st Bailey bridges were used in 1942 by the British Army in the North African campaign.
- They proved to be highly effective, leading to widespread adoption by Allied forces in the Second World War.
Bailey Bridges in India:
- Uses to connect remote and challenging terrains, particularly in the Himalayan regions.
- In border areas, Bailey bridges ensure the movement of troops and supplies.
- In areas like Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh, Bailey bridges facilitates tourism by providing access to remote scenic locations.
Source: The Indian Express
Previous Year Question
What is “Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)”, sometimes seen in the news?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2018 Prelims]
(a) An Israeli radar system
(b) India’s indigenous anti-missile programme
(c) An American anti-missile system
(d) A defence collaboration between Japan and South Korea.
Answer: (c)
