DEHRADUN: Just 17 days after it was opened to traffic, the Rs 16-crore bridge at Nanda ki Chowki in Dehradun became the latest casualty of heavy rainfall after a large section of its approach road collapsed early Tuesday, leaving a gaping crater that disconnected the bridge from the Dehradun-Paonta Sahib highway. Officials, however, maintained that the “bridge itself remains structurally safe” and that only the approach road collapsed after overnight rain washed away the soil beneath it.The bridge, inaugurated on July 12 after missing its original April 30 deadline, was built to replace the previous structure that was washed away in Sept last year, killing 14 people.The incident prompted district magistrate Ashish Chauhan to take cognisance of the collapse and direct officials to take action against those found responsible if lapses in construction or execution are established.PWD secretary Pankaj Kumar Pandey said, “The chief engineer of the regional office has been directed to investigate the cause of the incident, fix responsibility and submit a report, along with all supporting evidence, to the govt within three days. If the preliminary inquiry finds negligence on the part of officials or contractors, appropriate action will be taken. Any delay is unacceptable. Restoring the road is the department’s top priority.”The cave-in disrupted traffic between Dehradun, Vikasnagar and neighbouring Himachal Pradesh, with vehicles being diverted via Jhajhra on the outskirts of Dehradun. “We are waiting for the Tons River’s water level to recede before soil filling can be undertaken safely and traffic can be restored,” district disaster management officer Rishabh Kumar said.Officials from the irrigation department have also been deployed at the site to regulate the flow of the river and prevent further damage.The bridge-collapse sparked sharp criticism from residents and the opposition, with questions being raised over quality of construction despite the hefty cost involved.“Authorities are doing nothing but evading accountability… It took almost a year for the bridge to be completed. The govt spent Rs 16 crore on it and within days such a huge sinkhole appeared. The public is angry over such poor-quality infrastructure. Shouldn’t the PWD minister be held accountable?“ asked social activist Anoop Nautiyal.Meanwhile, the district administration said “temporary repairs had been carried out and traffic restored”. Following directions from the CM, clarifications were sought from the concerned officials and contractor. District magistrate Ashish Chauhan subsequently ordered action against those found responsible.
