Uttarakhand's Under Construction 'Signature Bridge' Collapses Again Within A Year

Uttarakhand's ambitious 'signature bridge' meant to be a tourist attraction, has collapsed once again. The same bridge has collapsed on July 20 last year as well following heavy rains. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported.

Named the 'Signature Bridge,' this structure was the first of its kind in the hilly region of Uttarakhand, according to sources. The bridge was being constructed by RCC Developers, with a project cost of Rs 76 crore.

Baat Pate Ki : रुद्रप्रयाग के नरकोटा में गिरा निर्माणाधीन पुल #BaatPateKi #Rudraprayag #Uttarakhand @malhotra_malika pic.twitter.com/gktiR8kqww — Zee News (@ZeeNews) July 18, 2024

An official said that the bridge collapsed around 4 pm but the foundation is intact. "Only the tower has collapsed. A technical committee will look into the incident and see what went wrong," said the official.

The bridge was located in Narkota on the Badrinath Highway, a key route in Rudraprayag.

The Signature Bridge has been embroiled in controversies since its inception. While the construction of the pillar on the Rudraprayag town side had begun, there was a land dispute on the Srinagar side. The pillar design had to be changed twice. After resolving this, construction resumed, but the shuttering collapsed on July 20, 2022, resulting in the deaths of two workers. In December 2022, the soil was tested again, leading to another design change, and construction resumed in January 2023.