15-year-old bridge collapses in Lahaul-Spiti, traffic jam on Kaza-Manali highway

Lahaul-Spiti, August 25: The 15-year-old Chichog bridge located on NH 505 collapsed on Sunday morning, disrupting traffic on the Kaza-Manali highway. The bridge collapsed when a sand-laden dumper crossed the bridge, which was unable to bear the heavy load. The bridge, made of iron with wooden sleepers in the middle, suddenly collapsed, causing the dumper to fall into the river below. Thankfully, no casualties have been reported, and the driver of the dumper is safe.

The bridge collapse has completely blocked the Kaza-Manali route, a key route for transportation and connectivity in the region. In response, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has diverted traffic to the Kiyamon bridge, providing an alternate route for commuters. To restore connectivity as soon as possible, the BRO has started work on building a temporary culvert at the site of the collapsed bridge.

According to OC BRO 01 RTC Rajkumar Prakash, the Chichog bridge had a load capacity of 12 tonnes, but the bridge collapsed due to the overloading of a dumper on one side. Given the age of the bridge, the BRO had already awarded repair work to a contractor. In the meantime, culverts will be installed to temporarily restore traffic flow, and plans are already underway to build a new bridge at the site.

The collapse of the Chichog bridge highlights the challenges of maintaining ageing infrastructure in remote areas like Spiti, where such structures are crucial for connectivity.