Bridge Collapse in Hailakandi Raises Concerns Over Construction Quality
Bridge Collapse Incident in Hailakandi
The bridge, being constructed at a cost of Rs 3.6 crore in Mohanpur village, collapsed on Wednesday morning. (AT Photo)
Hailakandi, Oct 7: A reinforced cement concrete (RCC) bridge under construction over the Berakhal river in Hailakandi district collapsed on Wednesday morning, marking the fourth such incident in Assam's Barak Valley this year.
The bridge, which was being built at a cost of Rs 3.6 crore in Mohanpur village under the Algapur-Katlicherra constituency, fell around 7 am.
This incident has sparked outrage among local residents, who have blamed the contractor for using subpar materials in the construction process.
One local resident stated, “The contractor's negligence is evident. The materials used, including sand and rods, are not appropriate for construction. The shuttering quality is also poor. They prioritize their profits over our safety, leading to this disaster.”
Another resident mentioned that they had previously alerted the relevant authorities about the situation, but no action was taken.
“Despite our complaints to the site engineer, departmental engineer, and contractors, we were ignored, leading to this unfortunate event,” the resident added.
A video of the bridge's collapse was captured by locals and shared on social media platforms.
“This bridge was crucial for thousands of daily commuters, and its collapse has left the community in despair, especially after our repeated requests to the SDO and departmental engineers,” another local expressed.
Hailakandi MLA Milon Das has voiced his concern regarding the incident and has informed Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma about the situation.
“I have already brought this matter to the Chief Minister's attention, and appropriate follow-up actions will be initiated,” Das stated.
This incident adds to a troubling trend of bridge collapses in Barak Valley this year.
Earlier in February, the Singla Bridge in Anipur, Sribhumi district, collapsed entirely. In May, another bridge on the Silchar-Kalain road in Borkhola also fell. Just this month, a bridge at Mokoibhanga on National Highway 8 in Sribhumi district met the same fate.
The recent collapse has intensified concerns regarding the quality and oversight of bridge construction in the area.