Small bridge on state highway collapses in Gondia district, traffic affected

A small bridge built on a state highway in Arjuni Morgaon taluka of Gondia district in Maharashtra caved in affecting traffic on the route the officials said on Friday reported the PTIAn official said that following the incident the traffic on the route has been divertedAccording to the PTI the bridge on the NavegaonKohalgaonKeshori Road caved in late Thursday night in which nobody was injured they saidA passerby informed the authorities about it following which a team of officials visited the spot and the traffic was diverted via KhairiSukdi village an official saidThe exact cause behind the incident was not known yet The bridge was around five decades old and it had become weak as it was constructed as per the old method he saidThe region witnessed heavy rains in the last fortnightThere is a small nullah on the side of this bridge It caved in probably as a result of heavy rains and movement of vehicles might have weakened it further Sub Divisional Officer Varunkumar Shahare said as per the PTIThe Public Works Departments Deputy Engineer Rajendra Darwade said The bridge was constructed as per the old method and a proposal for a new bridge has already been sanctioned the news agency reported on FridayBihar bridge collapse incidents Supreme Court issues notice to state governmentMeanwhile earlier this week the Supreme Courthad on Monday issued notice to the Bihar government on a petition that has sought the courtrsquos intervention to issue directions to the state to conduct the ldquohighest levelrdquo of structural audit of all existing and underconstruction bridges and to demolish or retrofit weak structures depending on feasibility after several bridges collapsed in the state recentlyA bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud asked the Bihar government and the other respondents concerned to file a reply to the petition filed by Brajesh SinghThe court was hearing the plea filed by petitioner and advocate Brajesh Singh who has urged the judges to issue directions to the Bihar government to conduct the highest level of structural audit of all existing bridges and under construction bridges in the state and to demolish or retrofit weak structures depending of feasibilitywith PTI inputs