Key Assam bridge reopened last month after nearly 2 years of repair collapses

Silchar: A newly-repaired bridge in Assam's Cachar district collapsed on Wednesday with two overloaded trucks plunging into the Harang river, injuring the drivers, officials said.

The decades-old bridge on the Silchar-Kalain Road, connecting Assam to Meghalaya, was reopened last month after nearly two years of repair works, they said.

District Commissioner Mridul Yadav said that an inquiry has been ordered into the incident.

"There were restrictions in place, and four checkpoints were set up to monitor overloaded vehicles," he said.

Senior Superintendent of Police Numal Mahatta said the drivers of the two trucks sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment.

The lapses are being investigated, he said.

"Schoolchildren and residents on either side of the river are facing serious problems because of the bridge collapse. We have deployed boats to help them cross the river," he added.

Meanwhile, locals alleged that poor-quality materials were used in the repair work, which caused the bridge to collapse.

Refuting the allegations, Zilla Parishad member Farida Parvin Laskar claimed, "The weight limit of the bridge was 40 ton, but these trucks were carrying around 120-130 ton of stones."