Mizoram cut off after bailey bridge collapses

Silchar, Oct 3 (UNI) A bailey bridge on National Highway 54, connecting Assam with Mizoram collapsed under pressure of a rice-laden truck, cutting the latter from the rest of the country.

Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) sources said the bailey bridge over Hunankur Nullah at Saidpur, 11 kms from here, collapsed when an Aizawl-bound truck was crossing over the bridge early yesterday. No one was injured.

It will take atleast 15 days to repair the bridge or construct a new one in its place. So arrangements were being made to erect a temporary foot bridge on the rivulet for pedestrians,BRTF sources said.

Hundreds of trucks were presently stranded on both sides of the bridge on the highway.

Traffic between Assam and Mizoram was disrupted since roads were blocked most of the time due to bad weather and landslides. Vehicles met with frequent accidents with raods remaining slimy with heavy mud and oil from vehivles. Four-laning of the NH 54 was also being undertaken by BRTF Project 'Puspak' during this monsoon.

UNI