Under-Construction Bridge Collapse Causes Alarm on Badrinath National Highway

An under-construction bridge on the Badrinath National Highway collapsed near Rudraprayag. No casualties were reported as the frame gave way. The bridge, part of the Chardham Road Project, has been under construction for three years. Authorities are investigating the cause of the incident.

A part of an under-construction bridge on the Badrinath National Highway collapsed on Thursday, officials said. The incident occurred in the Narkota area near Rudraprayag but fortunately resulted in no loss of life.

The frame of the bridge, being assembled using iron angles, suddenly gave way around 4 pm. Nearby laborers narrowly escaped harm by running when they realized the imminent collapse, according to officials.

Tanuj Kamboj, the National Highway Executive Engineer, confirmed the partial collapse of the frame. The bridge, which has been under construction for the past three years under the Chardham Road Project at a cost of Rs 67 crore, experienced an iron rod fall during foundation work two years ago. Initiations into the cause of the recent incident are ongoing, with the bridge construction managed by a private company. District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar noted that disaster management teams quickly arrived at the scene and conducted a search operation, ensuring that no lives were lost.

(With inputs from agencies.)