Darjeeling: A Fair Weather Bridge will be constructed alongside the damaged Balason Bridge at Matigara, Siliguri, to ease traffic flow.
Work is on as per schedule on the Bailey Bridge that is being put up on the damaged portion of the Balson bridge.
"As the width of the Bailey Bridge is around 4.2m it will be difficult for two vehicles to run side-by-side. Hence, there are chances of traffic snarls. As the water level in the river is now low, we will be constructing a Fair Weather Bridge. With two bridges the police can implement one way traffic on the Bailey Bridge," added Rajesh Kumar Sinha, executive engineer PWD, NH Division.
A news had gone viral on social media, stating that the Balason Bridge was further damaged owing to the pillars sinking and that work on the Bailey Bridge had been abandoned. "The work is on schedule. By the first week of December we plan to open the Bailey Bridge to traffic and by December 15 the Fair Weather Bridge will be opened up. The Bailey Bridge will be used for light vehicles and will have a load restriction of 10 tons."