Bridge linking Assam with Nagaland collapses

Dibrugarh: Scores of people were left stranded after a crucial wooden bridge on the inter-state road between Charaideo district in Assam and Mon district in Nagaland collapsed on Friday, resulting in a complete disruption of road connectivity along the important route.Officials said the incident occurred at around 3am when a truck carrying plywood from an industry located in Nagaland’s Mon district and on its way to Sonari in Assam’s Charaideo district was crossing the fragile bridge over the Nailong river in Namtola area of Charaideo.The truck (AP-02-TE-4623) crashed through the rickety bridge and plunged into the shallow river. Fortunately, the driver and helper escaped with minor injuries. The incident left scores of people and vehicles stranded on the road on both sides of the bridge.Authorities are currently mobilising resources to repair the bridge and restore road connectivity as soon as possible.“This is the only link road to Nagaland from Charaideo district. After the bridge collapsed, connectivity was totally disrupted and people and vehicles have now stranded on either side of the bridge since morning. We have deployed men and machinery at the site. However, it will take several hours before the road connectivity can be restored,” an official involved in the repair efforts said.This is not the first time such an incident has occurred on the bridge. A similar mishap took place in August 2019 when a dumper truck also crashed through the ramshackle structure.Local residents voiced their grievances, alleging that despite repeated requests to the government to repair the bridge, no action was taken.“We have been raising concerns about the poor condition of the bridge for years, but the authorities paid no heed to our pleas. It is their negligence that has caused today’s accident. People from both states are now suffering due to the complete connectivity breakdown,” Arup Dihingia, a local said.