Cooch Behar, Nov. 1 -- A dilapidated bridge collapsed under the weight of a truck in the Unishbisha Gram Panchayat in Cooch Behar district's Mathabhanga-II block on Sunday morning, triggering panic among local residents. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident.
The bridge gave way while a heavy truck was crossing it, causing both the vehicle and the structure to collapse. The bridge had reportedly been in a dilapidated condition for a long time. Following the incident, personnel from Ghoksadanga Police Station and Mathabhanga-II BDO Sonam Lama reached the spot and took stock of the situation. The administration assured residents that alternative arrangements would be made.
The collapse has disrupted connectivity for several villages, including Unishbisha and Premerdanga, causing considerable inconvenience to local residents. According to villagers, the bridge was constructed around 30 years ago. Its condition had deteriorated over the years, and residents claimed they had repeatedly informed the concerned departments about its poor condition through the BDO. However, no effective steps were taken.
Local residents Anup Sarkar said: "The collapse of the bridge has left several villages in trouble.
We had informed the concerned departments about the weak condition of the bridges. On Sunday, we heard a loud noise and rushed outside to find that a truck had fallen along with the bridge."
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.