A day after a landslide occurred near the existing Dwar Ksuid Bridge at Umroi, local MLA George Lyngdoh came to see the situation for himself today.
An expert from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) confirmed that the bridge was no longer secure and might collapse at any point of time if overloaded vehicles are allowed to drive over it.
A landslide occurred on Sunday evening due to overloaded vehicles, eyewitnesses said, with the heavy vehicles causing soil erosion.
Speaking to reporters, Lyngdoh said that he is very concerned about what he described as inaction of the state government as this matter had already been initiated by him four years ago before the construction of the temporary Bailey bridge.
Even though the High Court has gotten involved and vehicles are limited to 10 tonnes only, there is no restriction on overloaded vehicles, the MLA claimed.
Work to strengthen the surrounding earth would take six to seven days, a NHAI official said.
“We are trying our best to complete the earthworks by the construction of a retaining wall so that landslides can be prevented,” he said, adding that the new bridge will be complete within six months.
