Historic Jhula bridge in Bageshwar declared ‘unsafe’ for public use

Bageshwar: A year after Bageshwar’s historic Jhula bridge was closed due to safety concerns after visible cracks appeared, the 111-year-old bridge, which serves as a crucial link across the Saryu river, has been deemed “unsafe for public use”, citing the recent evaluations by Delhi’s Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), a technical body which carried out a comprehensive inspection of the bridge in March this year.
The report, which was submitted on Aug 23, identified critical structural problems, such as a substantial crack in the right abutment and extensive rusting of the iron components of the bridge, which was constructed in 1913 during the British era. The report clearly stated that “without extensive repairs, the bridge could not be safely reopened for public use”.
During a disaster review meeting on Sunday, district magistrate (DM) Anuradha Pal informed disaster management secretary, Vinod Kumar Suman, about the report’s findings.
The Public Works Department (PWD) officials have suggested two potential courses of action -- either rebuild the bridge entirely or carry out urgent repairs on the damaged sections. However, both options present significant challenges, especially considering the historical importance and technical difficulties associated with restoring such an old structure.
Virendra Singh, assistant engineer of PWD, said on Monday, “The district administration has submitted a proposal to the state govt, seeking approval and funding for the necessary repairs. The bridge will remain closed until these repairs are completed, and any attempts to use it would be extremely dangerous.”