South West Khasi Hills District Magistrate Caramai Kharkongor has imposed Section 144 CrPC, prohibiting overloaded vehicles to ply through the Bridge No: 5/5 over the River Umngi at Umpung Village connecting Mawphlang-Balat-Ranikor-Maheshkola particularly from Ranikor to Umpung.
Kharkongor said in a statement today that the prohibition was necessitated as the bridge over Umngi River at Umpung village, constructed way back in 1960, is in a deteriorating condition which has caused deplorable damage on portion of the bridge girder and become weak and old due to plying of overloaded heavy trucks.
“The order was made to ensure safety of public lives and properties and to prevent any eventuality caused by the deplorable bridge condition and to restrict such haphazard movement and plying of heavy overloaded trucks and buses from and to the area,” Kharkongor said, adding, this will also regulate unlawful activity that may disrupt the free movement of vehicular traffic in the district that may cause inconvenience to the member of the general public.