British-era bridge collapses into Ramganga canal in Kanpur, no casualties

Kanpur: The central span of a British-era bridge over the Ramganga canal near Baraigadh village on the Sadh-Kudni road in Kanpur collapsed into the canal during the early hours of Sunday, officials said. Fortunately, no one was on the bridge or in the surrounding area at the time, preventing a potential tragedy.

According to officials, the bridge was decades old and in a dilapidated condition. A new bridge is already being constructed nearby, but commuters continued using the ageing structure for a considerable period.

Locals alleged that negligence by the canal department and inadequate maintenance led to the collapse. They claimed that a breach had occurred in the canal embankment nearly 20 days ago due to obstructed water drainage, warning of the risk of a major mishap. Despite these indications, they alleged, the canal department failed to take timely corrective measures.

Villagers alleged that iron scaffolding left in place around the side arches of the under-construction bridge led to the accumulation of debris, restricting the canal’s flow. As a result, water could pass only through the central arch, narrowing the channel and significantly increasing the speed of the current.

According to residents, the situation worsened after additional water was recently released into the canal, putting excessive pressure on the ageing bridge’s foundation. They claimed the intensified flow eventually caused the central portion of the old bridge to give way and collapse into the canal early on Sunday.

Following the incident, the administration opened the nearly completed new bridge adjacent to the collapsed structure to restore traffic movement. Villagers demanded that the remaining construction work be completed without delay and that the canal be thoroughly cleaned to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Canal department junior engineer Ashish Pal said the Baraigadh canal bridge was several decades old and collapsed due to the heavy flow of water. He added that PWD had already been constructing a new bridge nearby, which has now been opened for traffic. The remaining work, including the installation of railings, will be completed soon, he said.