A bailey bridge caved in the National Highway 208 at Eararpar under South Manikbhander area of Kamalpur sub-division after a heavily loaded truck tried to cross over it late on Friday night.
No one was killed and driver and his assistant driver were rescued without any major injuries. However, the incident caused serious inconvenience to the people as vehicular movement through the route that connects Khowai-Kailashahar-Kumarghat remained suspended.
According to police, at around 11 pm on Friday night a truck carrying a consignment of broiler feed of 10 tonnes rolled in the bailey bridge. The Agartala bound truck was bearing registration no PB- 65-AS-2415. According to local people, hearing a loud noise nearby villagers came out and witnessed that the bridge came crashing down. “We wasted no time and rescued the driver and the co-driver”, a local villager said. Police were also informed on Friday.
On Saturday, the fire brigade, police and NHIDCL officials rushed to the spot. It was later decided that the NHIDCL would shortly re-construct the bridge with restrictions for heavily loaded vehicles to ply over the bridge.
The driver revealed that due to the precarious condition of Bipin Setu at Ambassa on NH 08 Assam-Agartala highway, police advised him to take alternative and also the longer route through the Ambassa-Maracharra road. From Durgachowmuhani he took the path that took him to the bridge and the accident took place.
The driver from Shiliguri had little idea of the condition of the roads and bridges of Tripura.
However, locals held the NHIDCL responsible for the incident and said that due to the lack of regular maintenance by the NHIDCL and PWD, such incidents were taking place. Locals demanded steps to make necessary arrangements so that such incidents do not occur again.
