Rishikesh’s Lakshman Jhula shut for vehicles, administration orders closure of old bridge; alternate walkway to be constructed soon

Rishikesh: The iconic Lakshman Jhula in Rishikesh was closed on Sunday for vehicular movement by the Public Works Department (PWD). However, pedestrians will be allowed to use the bridge, in limited numbers. [caption id=“attachment_6989741” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Lakshman Jhula in Rishikesh. Twitter @ANI[/caption] The decision to shut the 96-year-old bridge was announced on Friday by the local administration, owing to the bridge’s distressed state due to its age and high tourist footfall. The closure of the bridge is a precautionary step taken by the administration due to the possibility of accidents as the bridge was operating well over capacity. Laxman Jhula is a 450-feet long iron suspension bridge constructed over Ganga river in 1923 and is one of the landmarks of the city. According to mythology, Lakshman, brother of Lord Rama, crossed the river on jute ropes at the place where the bridge is currently built. On Saturday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said an alternative bridge will be constructed soon to provide relief to the people while reaffirming that his government will make efforts to preserve the iconic bridge.