Under-construction NHPC Bailey Bridge collapses in Tarkhola

Darjeeling: It was a close shave as a bridge under-construction collapsed at Tarkhola in Kalimpong district. The bridge on Tarkhola, a tributary of Teesta in the Rongpu area of Kalimpong, was being constructed by the NHPC and was meant to connect Bengal with the Thalthaley region of South Sikkim where a NHPC TLDC Stage 6 work is underway. 5 labourers from Assam have been injured in the incident.

A bridge connecting Sikkim with these parts was destroyed by the flashflood on October 4, 2023. The NHPC was coming up with a new Bailey Bridge. One Patel Engineering Ltd. was given the job of construction of the bridge. Sources state that the bridge was meant to support a load upto 25 tons.

The bridge was to be handed over to the NHPC in a day or two. “The bridge was complete. At around 10 am, we were fixing plates on the bridge when it collapsed. 5 persons were injured,” stated Ainal Ali (22 years), a worker from Assam.

Out of the 5, two were admitted at the Kalimpong Hospital while the other 3 were released after preliminary first aid. The injured admitted at the hospital include Aidul Mollah (23 years) and Gulam Surwar (26 years).

“We are looking into the matter. A report from the NHPC regarding the incident is awaited,” stated T Balasubramanian, District Magistrate, Kalimpong at the time of filing of this report.

The Bailey Bridge falls in the restricted area of the NHPC and was to be used for the convenience of the ongoing construction work of the Teesta Low Dam Project 6 of the NHPC underway in Sikkim.