Uttarakhand: Bridge connecting Niti ghati-Joshimath collapses

The main bridge connecting Niti Ghati with Joshimath collapsed at Suraithotha in Chamoli district on Tuesday disconnecting about a dozen villages in the border area and the paramilitary forces from the district headquarters.

Border Roads Organisation officials rushed to the spot and are attempting to operationalise an alternative traffic route by making a temporary bridge. Joshimath SDM Shailendra Negi said a BRO vehicle to transport goods just managed to cross the bridge before it collapsed.

However, occupants of the vehicle are safe as the vehicle had already crossed the bridge by the time it collapsed and fell into the gorge, he said. The incident occurred along Joshimath-Malari highway near Suraithotha.

There are two bridges over Dhauli Ganga on the route. While one bridge is built right over Dhauli Ganga another is over a gorge which collapsed on Tuesday, the SDM said.