Dehradun: At least six people were killed and 18 others injured when an under-construction bridge over Alaknanda river collapsed near Srinagar town in Uttarakhand`s Pauri district, prompting Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna to ordered an inquiry into the incident. The Choras bridge collapsed in the wee hours today when some labourers were working there. The reasons for the collapse of the bridge were not immediately known, District Magistrate Pauri MC Upreti told a news agency. All the six bodies have been retrieved and efforts are on identify them, the DM said.
The chief minister, meanwhile, ordered an inquiry into the tragedy. "I am concerned over what happened. I have already ordered a helicopter (to oversee the rescue operation)," Bahuguna told reporters here.
The chief minister said he would also reach the accident site.
There have been similar incidents in the hill state in the last few years which authorities have blamed on the poor quality of material used in these structures.
PTI