About five persons who were crossing the Parel Bridge on Ravi River in Chamba town of Himachal Pradesh suffered minor injuries when it suddenly collapsed on Thursday while people were celebrating Diwali.
The double lane concrete bridge on the Chamba-Pathankot highway was connecting the town with the Pangi-Churah valley in the district. The injured have been admitted to the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in the town. A couple of vehicles including a small truck carrying construction material and a private car also got stuck on the wrecked bridge.
Chamba Deputy Commissioner Sudesh Mokhta said that a case has been registered. The Parel Bridge was connecting Sarol, a way to the tribal valley, about 450 kms from the State capital. The bridge made by State PWD under a NBARD scheme was relatively new and was inaugurated in 2005 by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.
“Poor and sub standard quality” construction material or “faulty drawings of the bridge” are believed to be the reason of this collapse, said the local residents.
