A rickety bridge on the NH 62 in the village of Tilekhali in South Garo Hills district was damaged after what appears to be an overloaded coal truck tried to cross it.
The bridge in question had a maximum carrying capacity of 9MT which was easily crossed by the coal truck, leading to the stretch of road being blocked, while the truck was also stuck in the middle of the hole that had been created due to the breakdown of a section of the bridge.
The NH has been notorious for the huge number of wooden bridges, which has resulted in frequent breakdown of the structures and a complete road block on the supposed highway.
While earlier there were more than 22 such structures, the numbers have gradually decreased over the years. However quite a few (10 at least) still remain and pose immense problems for commuters due to frequently breaking down. All of these are managed by the PWD – NH division, based in Baghmara.
The Telekhali bridge in question was damaged at about 7:30 am and brought traffic to a complete standstill since the incident.
Confirming the incident, South Garo Hills SP, Priyangshu Pandey informed that the district administration has been informed of the mishap and repair work on the structure was currently underway.
