Nine Mandi panchayats lose road link after bridge collapse

Dipender Manta

Mandi, June 12

An old bailey bridge on the Balichowki-Sidhyani-Khodathach road under Balichowki area of Mandi district collapsed on Saturday, when a loaded carrier vehicle was crossing it. The driver of the vehicle sustained injuries and he was rushed to nearby hospital for treatment.

Alternative road being constructed

It was an old bridge structure, which collapsed due to heavy load beyond its capacity. Now, the PWD authorities are constructing an alternative road stretch near the collapsed bridge area for the movement of light vehicles. A bailey bridge would be erected in the area within one week to ensure smooth traffic for light and heavy vehicles. — KK Kaushal, SE, PWD, Mandi

The collapse of this bridge has disconnected the nine panchayats of Shetadhar area to Balichowki from the road facility. As a result, the residents of the area are now in a quandary over transporting their crops to market. These panchayats are Sudhrani, Khuhan, Khalihan, Thatta, Bung Jahlgad, Ghat, Jufarkot, Shivathan and Chet.

Keshav Ram, pradhan Gram Panchayat Sudhrani said, “This road bridge was lifeline for the area residents. Around nine panchayats of the area have been cut off from road facility. We are worried about transporting our agricultural and horticultural produce to markets in time.”

“We urge Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to direct the PWD authorities to ensure alternative road connectivity to the area residents at the earliest. This will be a huge relief for us. Yesterday, some PWD officials had visited the site to review the situation. We are expecting that the road connectivity will be restored to the region,” he remarked.

Vijay Pal Singh, a Congress leader from Seraj, said that it was a major lapse on the part of PWD authorities, who had failed to identify the dilapidated condition of this road bridge. “Despite being brought to the notice of government officials time and again PWD officials are hardly inspecting and validating critical and ageing bridge structures. The PWD authorities should restore road connectivity early for the convenience of people,” he remarked.

When contacted, Superintendent of Engineer, PWD, Mandi KK Kaushal said it was an old bridge structure, which collapsed due to heavy load beyond its capacity. Now, the PWD authorities are constructing an alternative road stretch near the collapsed bridge area for the movement of light vehicles. A bailey bridge would be erected in the area within one week to ensure smooth traffic for light and heavy vehicles on Balichowki-Sidhyani-Khodathach road in Mandi.