The decades-old bridge on the Silchar-Kalain Road, connecting Assam to Meghalaya, was reopened last month after nearly two years of repair works, officials said
District Commissioner Mridul Yadav said that an inquiry has been ordered into the incident. Pic/videograb/X
A newly-repaired bridge in Assam's Cachar district collapsed on Wednesday with two overloaded trucks plunging into the Harang river, injuring the drivers, officials said, reported the PTI.
The decades-old bridge on the Silchar-Kalain Road, connecting Assam to Meghalaya, was reopened last month after nearly two years of repair works, they said.
District Commissioner Mridul Yadav said that an inquiry has been ordered into the incident.
"There were restrictions in place, and four checkpoints were set up to monitor overloaded vehicles," he said, according to the PTI.
Senior Superintendent of Police Numal Mahatta said the drivers of the two trucks sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment.
The lapses are being investigated, he said.
"Schoolchildren and residents on either side of the river are facing serious problems because of the bridge collapse. We have deployed boats to help them cross the river," he added, as per the PTI.
Meanwhile, locals alleged that poor-quality materials were used in the repair work, which caused the bridge to collapse.
Refuting the allegations, Zilla Parishad member Farida Parvin Laskar claimed, "The weight limit of the bridge was 40 ton, but these trucks were carrying around 120-130 ton of stones."
#WATCH | Silchar, Assam | Harang bridge at Bhangarpar on the Kalain-Silchar road collapsed last night, causing two heavily loaded trucks to fall into the river below; Rescue and restoration work underway pic.twitter.com/7RbQH1LWyt
— ANI (@ANI) June 18, 2025
In an another incident in Maharashtra, a bridge collapsed over the Indrayani River in Pune district had collapse.
Four people were killed and around 51 people were injured, the officials had earlier said.
The district administration had on Monday announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each for the families of the four individuals who lost their lives in the tragedy.
According to Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi, the announcement is part of a broader response to the incident, which saw 55 people fall into the river. Of these, 51 were successfully rescued, and 38 are currently receiving treatment.
Speaking to ANI, Dudi provided an update on the situation, noting that an aerial survey was conducted today to finalise the search operation, ensuring no one remains unaccounted for.
"A total of 55 people fell due to the bridge collapse. Out of 55, 51 people were successfully rescued. Treatment for 38 people is still going on in the hospital. The condition of all the persons is stable. Unfortunately, four people died, and their bodies have been identified. There is no report of a missing person now. "This afternoon, we conducted an aerial survey at the spot to finalise the search operation," Dudi had stated.
(with PTI and ANI inputs)
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