Our Correspondent
Wokha, March 28 (EMN): Two persons narrowly escaped with minor injuries when Takchung Bridge, situated around 8 km away from New Ralan under Ralan area in Wokha district collapsed at around 7 am on Monday.
The incident happened when a dumper truck carrying boulders and stone for construction of 8 km stretch of road at Tukchung area by Border Road Organisation (BRO), General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF), was crossing the old unmaintained Bailey bridge.
The driver and handyman of the dumper truck, which was on its way to the road construction site, escaped with minor injuries after the bridge collapsed. They were later taken to Dimapur for medical treatment.
It is informed that the Takchung Bridge was lying unmaintained for some time. As it’s too weak to hold heavy vehicles, an alternative (temporary) road has been made below the bridge but it is pliable only during winter.
Meanwhile, it was informed that there are six Bailey bridges (only five now) along the Wokha-Bokajan road, which is approximately 75 km. The remaining five bridges also could meet the same fate as it was build in the late 1980s by the BRO and not maintained, it was informed.
The Wokha- Bokajan road stretch measuring 75 km has two sections under PWD, wherein 53 km (Wokha-Hanku village) falls under PWD Wokha subdivision and the remaining 22 km (Ralan area) falls under Baghty subdivision. Meanwhile, it was learned that the BRO is constructing around 22 km road stretch -- Hanku to Bokajan, under Baghty subdivision -- including the area where the incident took place.