Under-Construction Bridge Collapses in Hailakandi; 15 Workers Escape Unhurt
An under-construction RCC bridge over the Berakhal river collapsed in Mohanpur, with residents alleging poor-quality materials and demanding an investigation into the construction work.
HAILAKANDI- An under-construction reinforced cement concrete (RCC) bridge over the Berakhal river in Mohanpur village of Hailakandi district collapsed on Wednesday morning, around 7 am. The structure, estimated to cost Rs 3.6 crore and located under the Algapur-Katlicherra constituency, was being built to improve local connectivity.
Around 15 workers were present at the site when the bridge gave way. They escaped without major injuries. A video of the collapse, recorded by local residents, circulated widely on social media.
The incident has triggered strong anger among residents, who allege the use of substandard materials and poor-quality work by the contractor and departmental authorities. Locals named contractor and accused site and departmental engineers of ignoring earlier complaints about construction quality, including unsuitable sand, rods, and shuttering.
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“It’s because of the contractor’s apathy. The materials used for the construction, be it the sand and rods, are not suitable for construction. The shuttering is also of low quality. They have been using these materials for individual profit and we are facing this problem,” one local resident said.
Another resident stated: “A bridge worth Rs 3.60 crore was being constructed here. But contractor and the departmental authorities have carried out very poor-quality work. The lives of 15 workers were saved by a narrow margin today. We want a proper investigation into this alleged corruption.” Residents have demanded a high-level inquiry.
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Hailakandi MLA Milon Das expressed concern and confirmed he had informed Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. “I have already informed the matter to the Chief Minister and follow-up action will be taken accordingly,” Das said.
This is the fourth reported bridge collapse in Assam’s Barak Valley this year. Earlier incidents include the complete collapse of the Singla Bridge at Anipur in Sribhumi district in February, a bridge on the Silchar-Kalain road in Borkhola in May, and a bridge at Mokoibhanga on National Highway 8 in Sribhumi earlier this month. The latest collapse has renewed concerns over construction quality and supervision in the region.
