Bridge over Irang river snaps, Imphal-Jiribam highway cut off Driver missing, truck yet to be retrieved

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Nov 1: Imphal-Jiribam highway has been cut off since this morning after Irang Bridge snapped in the middle plunging a tipper into Irang River which is presently flowing at a very high level.
Imphal-Jiribam highway is widely considered as the second lifeline of the State after Imphal-Dimapur route.
The Imphal-Dimapur road also remained cut off for some days after about 50 metres of the highway sank at Khongnem Thana located about 15 kms from Maram on October 24.
The highway was reconnected only on October 28 after an alternate route was built.
The bridge snapped in the middle at around 7.25 am as a truck (tipper) loaded with sand was crossing it.
The ill-fated truck was heading towards Jiribam from Imphal.
As the truck got slanted to the right side, the handyman identified as one Raja who was seating on the left side of the driver’s cabin managed to jump off and thus he saved himself by a whisker.
But it is not known yet whether the driver identified as one Khamba is still inside the truck which had fallen into the driver or has been swept away by the strong current.  
Till late evening, the tipper could not be retrieved. Meanwhile, the water surface of Irang River was rising rapidly as there was heavy rainfall in the area.
CRPF personnel posted at Irang and Irang villagers were struggling hard to retrieve the tipper since morning. NHIDCL officials and engineers too came to the spot.
The tipper having 10 wheels and registration number NL07A-8937 belongs to one Raju. But it is not yet clear whether the truck owner is a resident of Nagaland or Manipur.
It is said that rescue workers have been trying to retrieve the tipper after bringing a hydra machine from M/S Sivalaya company which is engaged in constructing Tameng- long-Khongsang road.  
Meanwhile, officials of NDRF and SDRF set off for Irang this afternoon to search the body of driver Khamba.
One NHIDCL official told The Sangai Express that   the Irang Bridge is a very old and weak bailey bridge. It was repaired a few days back.
Being an old and weak bridge, Irang Bridge was repaired regularly. Most probably, the bridge snapped because the tipper’s load was too heavy, said the official.
NHIDCL engineers have made an assessment to construct a diversion bailey bridge. As such, a diversion bailey bridge would be constructed soon, he said.
Notably, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had sanctioned around Rs 44 crore during the last financial year for constructing a new Irang bridge with NHIDCL as the implementing agency.
Even as tenders had been floated two/three times, very few companies responded and those who responded submitted very high rate quotations. As such, the tender process could not be completed till date.
Many companies are reluctant to take up the bridge construction work as they are aware of how militants   abducted BIPL engineers and officials and demanded ransom.
BIPL is currently engaged in constructing new Barak and Makru bridges, said the NHIDCL official.
Having had the bitter experience of paying ransom every now and then, BIPL stayed away from bidding for construction of Irang Bridge.
Even though Imphal-Jiribam highway has been cut off at Irang, one may take Bishnupur-Khoupum-Rengpang road. Here too, there is a weak bailey bridge which means trucks heavier than 20 tonnes would not be able to ply on this road, said some engineers of PWD (NH Division).