NHAI holds consultancy firm responsible

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Aug 23: Mr Srikumar Bhattacharya, a senior official of the National Highway Authority of India today said that Rites Limited, a consultancy firm assigned by the highway authorities to oversee maintenance of NH-34 in North Dinajpur, did not inform them about the dilapidated condition of the Bailey bridge over the Sudani river at Domohona that collapsed yesterday. “It was a lapse on our part. Now, we have to look for alternate ways to maintain the highway. An internal inquiry into yesterday’s tragic mishap would be ordered by the highway authorities,” Mr Bhattacharya, superintending engineer, NHAI, said. “Though we were told that four bridges are vulnerable to accident on NH-34 in North Dinajpur, we had no idea about the dilapidated condition of the Bailey bridge over the Sudani,” Mr Bhattacharya, added. The bridge in question collapsed several times in the recent past. Meanwhile, the , Mahananda bridge in Malda is very weak and incapable of bearing heavy load, Mr Bhattacharya, said. He added that it would take at least one month to restore the Bailey bridge that collapsed yesterday. The North Bengal I-G, Mr RJS Nalwa, who is monitoring traffic on NH-34 after yesterday’s incident, said efforts are on to find alternative routes to maintain road communication between south Bengal and North-eastern states including Siliguri. Mr Nalway today discussed the matter with Malda SP Mr DK Mondal. #