BHUBANESWAR: Road connectivity to several villages in Khurda was disrupted on Sunday after a four-decade-old bridge at Torasingha, linking Banapur and Gambarimunda, collapsed in the morning. A major mishap was narrowly averted as no casualties were reported, police said.
The bridge, located near Ropada village under Panchugaon gram panchayat in Banapur, gave way while a tipper truck loaded with soil was crossing it. The structure split into two, leaving the heavy vehicle stranded midway. The driver and helper managed to escape unharmed, police said.
Fire services officials said they received information about the incident around 9.05 am and rushed to the spot. The bridge, estimated to be 40 to 50-year-old, had been constructed without piling, they said.
Following the collapse, road connectivity between Banapur and Gambarimunda has been snapped, affecting daily movement in more than half-a-dozen villages in the area.
Locals alleged that the bridge had been in a dilapidated condition for years and repeated demands for the construction of a new bridge had gone unheeded.
Police sources said construction of a new bridge at the same location has remained stalled due to an ongoing legal dispute. The project, taken up under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), was scheduled for completion in 2022-23.
Officials said residents would have to rely on longer diversion routes until the new bridge is completed. While the Khurda collector was unavailable for comment, district administration officials said steps were being taken to remove the stranded tipper and initiate remedial measures.