Gandacherra, Dec 04, 2024, TRIPURATIMES Desk

Gandacherra, Dec 04: The executive engineer of PWD, Gandacherra on Wednesday stated that the newly-built Hanging Bridge at Narkelkunja is in safe condition.

Hours after inauguration of the new tourist facility by Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, in the presence of Tourism minister Sushanta Chowdhury and others on Tuesday, there were rumours among the people about the bridge’s condition.

According to the PWD executive engineer, the inaugural event of Tripura Tourism Promo Fest drew thousands of tourists to the island. Many of the visitors had crossed the newly-built bridge simultaneously, causing it to slightly tilt to one side due to overload. This incident sparked rumors, with certain groups falsely claiming that the bridge had collapsed.

Our correspondent visited Narkelkunja on Wednesday, inspecting the entire bridge from end to end. Discussions with locals and tourists confirmed that the bridge is in safe condition. The visitors were seen using the bridge without any issues.

Indrajit Debbarma, the Executive Engineer of the Gandacherra PWD, addressed the media, clarifying the situation. He stated that shortly after the bridge's inauguration, rumors were deliberately spread by some groups, falsely alleging its collapse.

Debbarma explained, "The hanging bridge is entirely cable-supported and designed to bear a specific load capacity. Following the inauguration, the overwhelming enthusiasm of tourists resulted in a temporary overloading beyond its capacity. This caused the cable support at the far end of Narkelkunja to slightly loosen. However, this posed no risk to the structural integrity of the bridge or the safety of visitors. People can continue to use the bridge safely."