SHILLONG: Opposition Congress MLA from Umroi Constituency, George Lyngdoh on Wednesday pointed out that Umiam bridge is subjected to a lot of pressure and cautioned that a hairline crack on the bridge may lead to catastrophic consequences.
Stating that his constituency has suffered the most with the condition of Shillong by pass deteriorating fast due to plying of overloaded trucks, Lyngdoh said that the rate of deterioration is so fast that the maintenance work is unable to cope with it.
“The dwar Ksuid bridge beams have cracked and the entire four lane road from Umiam to Jorabat deteriorated,” he said while participating in the No- cconfidence Motion moved against the State government by the opposition Congress.
Recalling that he has been raising the issue about the life span of the Umiam bridge time and again, Lyngdoh said that now that the Dwar Ksuid bridge is under repair all the trucks are plying over the Umiam bridge daily.
“A simple hairline crack on the bridge and it will be disastrous. Lives will be lost, connectivity will be lost and the state will be dragged into darkness. Who will take the responsibility?” he said.
An MeECL official had earlier informed that an order was issued recently that vehicles weighing more than 40 tonnes should not ply on the dam in a row but now that with hundreds of trucks plying over it on a daily basis the situation is serious.
Later during the House session, Congress MLA from Nongthymmai constituency also expressed concern about over loaded trucks plying through the various bridges.