Audit finds 36 bridges in Uttarakhand not fit for traffic

DEHRADUN: A safety audit of bridges in Uttarakhand, ordered after the collapse of a suspension bridge in Gujarat's Morbi, has found 36 bridges unfit for traffic, an official said on Tuesday.

The Uttarakhand government on Monday received the audit report of 2,518 out of the total 3,262 bridges in the state, the official said, adding that 36 of the bridges audited so far have been found unsafe for vehicular movement.

Of the 36 bridges in question, 16 are in Pauri, 8 in Tehri, 5 in Udham Singh Nagar, 3 in Haridwar and 1 each in Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Pithoragarh and Dehradun districts.

Soon after the Morbi accident on October 30, killing at least 140 people, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami had given three weeks' time to the Public Works Department (PWD) to carry out a safety audit of all the bridges in the state.

After receiving the report, the CM ordered that the identified bridges should be repaired or replaced at the earliest. PWD minister Satpal Maharaj said, "Already, efforts are underway to replace old and dilapidated bridges in the state." He said new bridges would be constructed with central government funds. "Priority would be given to bridges that are used more frequently by commuters and those in extremely poor condition."


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