Glass panel on R’kesh’s Bajrang Setu damaged; case filed

Haridwar: A glass panel on the under-construction Bajrang Setu in Rishikesh—being built to replace the iconic Lakshman Jhula—was damaged after an unidentified man allegedly struck it with a blunt object, prompting the Public Works Department (PWD) to file a police complaint.

The incident occurred on Thursday at the glass walkway section of the bridge. Officials said the man entered the restricted area in the absence of a guard and hit one of the panels, causing minor damage to its top layer. Following the incident, authorities have closed the glass walkway for repairs as a precaution, while pedestrian movement continues through the central concrete portion of the bridge.

PWD executive engineer (Narendra Nagar division) Praveen Karnwal said the structure remains safe. “The glass panels are multi-layered, with a total thickness of around 60 mm. Only the upper layer of one panel was damaged, and there is no structural risk,” he said. He added that CCTV cameras will be installed to prevent such incidents, and a case has been registered at Muni Ki Reti police station.

The 132-metre-long suspension bridge, being built at an estimated cost of around Rs 70 crore over the Ganga, is nearing completion but has not yet been formally inaugurated. It has been designed with glass walkways on both sides for pedestrians and a central deck for two-wheelers.

Bajrang Setu is being developed as an alternative to the century-old Lakshman Jhula, which was closed in 2022 after being declared unsafe due to the end of its lifespan.