Portion of under-construction bridge on Kiratpur-Manali highway collapses

A portion of an under-construction bridge near Sambal on the Mandi-Pandoh section of the Kiratpur-Manali four-lane highway project in Mandi district collapsed last night while concretisation work was underway. Officials concerned confirmed that the main structure of the bridge was completely safe and unaffected.

According to initial reports, the incident occurred while 10-foot-wide cantilever footpaths were being constructed on both sides of the bridge. One of the shuttering support on the side gave way during welding, causing partial collapse of the bridge. Fortunately, no one was injured and the foundation and the core structure of the bridge was still intact.

An official said, “The damage was caused due to the failure of a welding support in the shuttering and immediate steps are being taken to rectify it. The remaining bridge is entirely secure and the construction work is proceeding in accordance with the standards.”

Varun Chari, Project Director of the Kiratpur-Manali Four-Lane Highway Project, said, “The bridge is structurally safe. The damage has been limited to one support weld. Instructions have been issued to address the issue immediately. The project is progressing well and is expected to be completed on schedule.”