HT correspondent
SIVASAGAR, Jan 23: A newly constructed bridge over the Namdung river on the NH-37 bypass near historic Namdung Silsaku, close to Gaurisagar, collapsed around noon on Friday, raising serious questions over construction quality and alleged corruption in the four-laning project of the highway.
The bridge, part of the crucial 44-km NH-37 bypass stretch, had not yet been opened to the public.
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The incident has dealt a setback to recent claims by the Union Minister for Road Transport regarding the opening of the new highway within the next three months.
Local residents alleged that substandard materials were used in the construction of the bridge.
Padum Saikia, a local resident and senior journalist, told The Assam Tribune that the construction company had reportedly used 6 mm and 9 mm rods for the structure, along with inferior-quality materials, leading to its collapse within three years of construction.
He added that local children often play under the bridge and narrowly escaped a tragedy on Friday as they were attending Saraswati Puja celebrations at their school.
Residents also recalled a previous incident in which a local youth, Satyajit Das, died about a year ago after a guard wall collapsed on him nearly 200 metres from the Namdung site.
They alleged that despite repeated complaints, the construction company involved at that time failed to address concerns over safety and quality.
According to locals, the original construction company, GDCL, was terminated by the government, and the work was recently re-allotted.
The NH-37 bypass project falls under the SARDP-NE scheme and is being executed in EPC mode.
The government has reportedly already paid ₹944.83 crore in compensation for the Jorhat–Demow stretch, acquiring 316.44 hectares of land for the project.
Sources claimed that due to alleged irregularities and poor workmanship by some contractors, the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited had to reassign contracts, resulting in substantial additional expenditure.
Large portions of the 44-km stretch reportedly required re-filling with suitable soil after excavating substandard subsoil, leading to further delays and cost overruns. The bridge collapse has intensified demands for a thorough inquiry into the quality of work, accountability of contractors and officials involved, and immediate measures to ensure public safety on the highway project.
