Officers, contractors responsible for Nanda Ki Chowki bridge case to be punished: Pandey

PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun

The Public Works Department (PWD) secretary Pankaj Kumar Pandey has said action will be taken against the officers and contractors responsible for the caving in of a portion of approach road of the newly constructed Nanda ki Chowki Bridge in Dehradun. The traffic on the important bridge remained disrupted due to the collapse of the approach road on Tuesday. The secretary also ordered the chief engineer PWD to conduct an inquiry and submit the report within three days.

Pandey however claimed that the newly constructed bridge is completely safe. He said that heavy rains on Monday washed away debris from beneath a portion of the bridge’s approach road, causing it to cave in. He said that the newly constructed bridge is completely safe and efforts are underway to repair the approach road and restore traffic.

Pandey stated that the chief engineer of the PWD was dispatched to the site to repair the approach road and investigate the cause of the incident. “If any official or contractor is found to be at fault, action will be taken against them,’’ he said.

 Pandey added that the river’s flow is increasing due to the continuous rainfall, so efforts are being made to divert the flow and the officers of the Irrigation department have also been deployed at the site. He warned that if any newly constructed road collapses anywhere in the State, the reasons will be investigated and action will be taken against the responsible officers and contractor. 

The secretary averred that the department is working on a war footing to reopen the blocked roads and the entire status of the blocked roads is being updated live on the portal of the department.

 Pandey claimed that efforts are being made to reopen the blocked roads within 24 hours. He informed that the debris is repeatedly flowing onto the Dehradun-Mussoorie road and a team of the department has been deployed there with necessary equipment.