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A bridge connecting several villages in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district has collapsed, just three years after its construction, officials said on Thursday.
The Kothi-Koranar bridge on the Bandiya river was inaugurated on August 15, 2023, by the then deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was also the guardian minister of Gadchiroli district.
The middle section of the 105-metre overpass, with a carriageway width of 7.5 metres, caved in on July 31, cutting off access to several villages along the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border, they said.
Many politicians, including Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar and Rohit Pawar of NCP (SP), have raised concerns over the incident and demanded action against Public Welfare Department (PWD) officials and the contractor involved in the construction of the bridge.
District Collector Avishant Panda termed the bridge collapse, within such a short time, a serious matter.
"The PWD superintending engineer has been directed to conduct an immediate technical inquiry into the matter. Strict action will be taken against those found guilty," the Collector added.
Officials said the region received 200-210 mm of rainfall between July 30 and July 31, causing the Bandiya river to swell in flood. They said floodwaters flowed 2 to 2.5 metres above the bridge deck at the peak of the flooding. PTI
