Gangotri bridge linking Uttarkashi, China border collapses; dozens of villages affected

Uttarkashi:  The lone bridge linking Uttarkashi to the China border collapsed on Thursday, disconnecting dozens of villages and causing inconvenience to daily commuters, especially school-going children and teachers. The makeshift Gangotri bridge collapsed around 6 am when two trucks were crossing it, Uttarkashi district magistrate Ashish Chauhan said. [caption id=“attachment_2955576” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AP[/caption] No one was hurt in the incident, he said. According to rules, only one truck can pass through the bridge at a time, he said. A magisterial probe has been ordered into the incident and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the Public Works Department (PWD) have been asked to open an alternate route as soon as possible. Daily commuters who used the bridge, especially school-going children and teachers, have been inconvenienced by its sudden collapse, he said. A number of vehicles are stranded on either side of the bridge with no alternate route available at the moment, he said.