- Vehicles stranded on the collapsed bridge, SDRF engaged in relief and rescue operations

Cachar (Assam), 18 June (HS): A recently repaired bridge in Assam's Cachar district collapsed on Wednesday morning, cutting off a key route on the Silchar-Kaline National Highway at Bhangarpar. The incident has isolated the Barak Valley and also affected connectivity with neighbouring Tripura and Mizoram states.

The bridge over the Harang river collapsed today, just weeks after it reopened after repair work. The repairs reportedly cost ₹1.37 crore.

Two trucks loaded with stones fell into the river during this time, but officials confirmed that no lives were lost. The timing of the incident is particularly significant, as the Gaiman Bridge at Badarpur Ghat, another key link, is currently being renovated, leaving passengers and transporters with very few options.

Cachar district commissioner Mridul Yadav and superintendent of police Numal Mahata rushed to the spot to assess the situation. Mahata said the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) immediately launched rescue and relief operations after the bridge collapsed.

He has informed that a nearby road has been identified to temporarily allow passage for small vehicles, but overall road connectivity is severely affected.

The bridge was serving as a temporary lifeline of the Silchar-Kaline route, while the main Katigora Gaiman Bridge on NH-6 is closed. With both closed now, the area is virtually cut off from the rest of Assam and beyond, leading to resentment and anxiety among the people.

Local residents expressed deep disappointment and anger, accusing the officials and contractors of using substandard materials during the repair process. Many have alleged that the earlier “repairs” mainly focused on painting and superficial improvements, while deeper structural issues were ignored. A resident claimed that when the common people protested, the officials and the contractor ignored and intimidated them.

Borkhola MLA Misbahul Islam Laskar visited the site of the bridge collapse and strongly criticised the responsible agencies, calling the incident a result of gross negligence and lack of quality control. He said, How can a bridge that was just repaired suddenly collapse? This is a clear failure of accountability.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash