The road link to more than a dozen villages and army posts in Niti valley in the Indo-Tibetan border area in Chamoli district was reportedly severed when the sole Bailey bridge on the Joshimath-Malari border road collapsed near Surai Tota on Tuesday.
Though no human fatalities were caused by the mishap, the accidental collapse has brought focus on the level of infrastructural quality, checks and preparedness of the authorities concerned considering the strategic importance of this region from the view point of national security.
According to information received, a loaded truck of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) was crossing the Bailey bridge near Surai Tota when the structure collapsed, taking the heavy truck down with it. The truck had almost crossed the bridge when the mishap occurred resulting in minor injury to the truck driver.
Officials state that necessary materials for setting up the bridge has already been ordered from Rishikesh. The officials estimate that depending on various factors including the weather conditions, the task of repairing the bridge and reopening it for traffic may take a couple of days.
However, in the meantime, the authorities state that temporary steps will be facilitated on both ends of the bridge to enable people to cross on foot.
Observers point out that considering the major significance of the sole bridge to the Indo-Tibet border area in Niti Valley where there are about a dozen border area villages and army presence, questions are bound to be raised regarding the possibility of negligence towards ensuring quality of road and other infrastructures even in strategically important border regions, the frequency of monitoring and efficiency of the various authorities concerned.
Residents of the villages in the Niti valley, left without direct motor road link, may face inconvenience in procuring ration and in emergency situations in the next couple of days in case the bridge repair work is not completed on time. However, the situation is not stated to be alarming as helicopters can be used in case of emergency situation till the bridge is repaired.