Bridge on Gangotri highway collapses

Jyotirmay Thapliyal

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 1

The sole bailey bridge over the Assi Ganga river connecting Uttarkashi district with the Sino-Indian border collapsed on Sunday morning. 

No one was reportedly hurt in the incident. The 60-metre long bridge at Gangori on the Gangotri National Highway in Uttarkashi district has collapsed for the second time in over three months.

The 190 feet bridge collapsed last on December 14, 2017. The bridge was repaired and opened to traffic on January 10. 

Located at a distance of     6 km from Uttarkashi town, the bridge is a vital link for transporting locals to and from 80 villages of Bhatwari region and tourists visiting the Gangotri temple.

The bridge has a load bearing capacity of 19 tonne and is important in terms of ferrying ration and other reinforcements for the ITBP personnel guarding the Sino-Indian border in this part of the country.

Efforts are now under way for immediate alternative arrangements to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

The need for a permanent bridge replacing the current arrangement has been felt since long. The original bridge was washed away in the 2013 floods. 

Meanwhile, the district authorities are probing the reasons for the bridge collapse. Sources attribute the collapse to a large number of overloaded trucks crossing the bridge daily. With Char Dham Yatra round the corner, it has become imperative for the authorities concerned to repair the bridge as soon as possible.