Bridge collapse issue rocks HP assembly

SHIMLA: The issue of bridge collapse in Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh five months after its inauguration was raised in the state assembly on Thursday.
Replying to a calling attention motion by Congress member Ravi Thakur, chief minister Virbhadra Singh ordered a high-level inquiry into the collapse of a crucial bridge in the Lahaul Valley, located on the strategically important Manali-Leh highway.He informed the assembly that a chief engineer of the public works department has been asked to conduct an inquiry into the collapse of the bridge in Muling, around 13 km from district headquarters Keylong. Disciplinary action would be initiated against the officials found responsible for the incident once the inquiry is complete, he told the House.
The bridge was constructed at a cost of Rs 3.45 crore on March 10 and its collapse has left the residents of Muling, Shipting, Bargul and Gawadi cut off from the rest of the district.
The issue was raised by Lahaul-Spiti MLA Thakur and Manali MLA Govind Singh Thakur of the BJP. They had sought statement of the chief minister on the issue stating that the bridge was constructed by the mechanical and civil wing of the PWD whose foundation stone was laid in 2006 by then Mandi MP Pratibha Singh and inaugurated telephonically by Virbhadra Singh last year.
Govind Singh Thakur said the villagers had alleged that poor quality material was used in the construction of the bridge, but no attention was paid by the authorities. He also alleged that damaged steel was used to raise the structure and that was the reason the bridge was constructed in a hurry.