Jalgaon: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has ordered a high-level inquiry into the collapse of the Paldhi-Tarsod bypass bridge and directed authorities to blacklist the contractor responsible for its construction.
A portion of the bridge, which was built only about a year ago, collapsed following heavy rainfall in the region. The incident has raised serious questions over the quality of construction work and has led to disruption of traffic on the important highway route.
The bridge was inspected on August 3 by Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan and Guardian Minister Gulabrao Patil, along with District Collector Rohan Ghuge and other officials. During the visit, Mahajan had raised concerns over the quality of the construction and said he would bring the matter to Gadkari's attention.
Taking note of the incident, Gadkari has now directed that a detailed inquiry be conducted to determine the reasons behind the bridge failure. He has also ordered action to blacklist the contractor involved.
Following the collapse, traffic on the bypass has been stopped, and vehicles have been diverted through Jalgaon city. The diversion has put additional pressure on roads within the city, resulting in heavy congestion and an increase in road accidents.
According to officials, two people have died in accidents on the city's highway stretch in the past two days following the traffic diversion. The situation has added to concerns among residents and commuters, who are seeking immediate measures to ease traffic and prevent further accidents.
Citizens have also urged the authorities to repair the damaged bridge at the earliest and restore traffic on the bypass. The inquiry ordered by Gadkari is expected to examine the construction quality and other factors that may have contributed to the collapse.
