DEHRADUN: A newly constructed bridge near Nanda Ki Chowki has come under intense scrutiny after its approach road suffered a major failure during the first significant spell of monsoon rain, raising serious questions over construction quality, project supervision and public spending.
The bridge, built at an estimated cost of ₹16 crore, witnessed a large section of its approach road cave in, leaving a deep crater and forcing authorities to suspend all traffic on the route as a safety precaution.
The closure has disrupted connectivity for thousands of commuters, including students heading to the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES) and other educational institutions, besides office-goers and local residents.
Adding to the disruption, severe waterlogging near Rangers Ground slowed traffic movement, resulting in long queues and delays across the area.
The failure of a recently completed bridge during its first monsoon has fuelled widespread public criticism. Residents and daily commuters have questioned how critical infrastructure could deteriorate so quickly and have demanded a thorough technical investigation into the design, quality of materials and execution of the project.
Several commuters and local residents have also levelled allegations of corruption against the National Highways authorities and have questioned the accountability of both the Uttarakhand government led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and the Central Government, arguing that they owe the public a detailed explanation on the project's execution and quality control.
They have also demanded that the contractors associated with the construction be investigated and, if any irregularities are established, held accountable under the law.
No official inquiry has yet established the cause of the failure, and the allegations remain unverified.
However, the incident has intensified demands for an independent structural audit and a transparent probe to determine whether the collapse resulted from engineering deficiencies, poor workmanship, inadequate drainage, substandard materials or lapses in supervision.
The incident has once again brought the quality of highway and bridge construction under the spotlight, with many calling for stricter monitoring, third-party quality audits and greater accountability to ensure that public infrastructure built with taxpayers' money is capable of withstanding routine monsoon conditions.
