An FIR has been registered against the driver of the truck which reportedly caused collapse of the bailey bridge across the Asi Ganga river in Uttarkashi district on Sunday night. The truck weighed more than the maximum load capacity of the bridge which also provides link to the Indo-China border region in Uttarkashi district. Uttarkashi SP Dadan Pal said that after receiving complaint from Border Roads Organization official, a case under appropriate sections of NH Act, public property damage act and 188 of IPC was registered against the truck driver at Uttarkashi Kotwali and action would be taken against the accused after receiving report from the committee formed by the district magistrate. Notably, the Uttarkashi DM Ashish Kumar Chauhan had formed a committee comprising SP, ADM, public works department executive engineer and BRO commander on Sunday to look into the incident and submit report in seven days. The bridge had been opened to use in January this year.
BRO commander Sunil Chandra Srivastava said that truck weighed 24 tons more than the maximum load capacity of the bridge fixed at 18 tons. The truck driver reportedly slammed brake to save a boy who was crossing the bridge, resulting in the collapse of the bridge. He further said that police posts have already been set up on both sides of the bridge.
Another BRO official said that the weight carrying capacity of the new bridge which would replace the collapsed one would be enhanced up to 30 to 40 tons. However, it might take another two years for the new bridge to come up, he added.