Damaged bridge across a stream in Kumaram Bheem Asifabad district collapses

Aggrieved local residents blame the collapse of the bridge on “indiscriminate sand mining”

A damaged bridge, which remained out of bounds for vehicular traffic for the last couple of weeks, across Peddavagu stream at Andevelli village in Kagaznagar mandal of Kumaram Bheem Asifabad district, collapsed on Wednesday morning.

One of the pillars of the bridge reportedly caved in during the recent floods prompting the authorities to close the bridge for traffic a couple of weeks ago.

The direct road link between Kagaznagar and Dahegaon has been completely cut-off since then.

This has forced the residents of more than 40 villages in Dahegaon and its neighbouring mandals to take a long road route via Tandur to reach Kagaznagar town, incurring additional travel expenses, sources said.

It may be mentioned that around six schoolchildren had a narrow escape when a makeshift raft carrying them tilted in Peddavagu stream near the bridge last month. They were rescued by local fishermen.

The incident triggered vociferous demands from local residents to construct a new bridge across Peddavagu on a war-footing to revive the direct road connectivity to dozens of villages in Dahegaon and Bheemini mandals.

The aggrieved local residents blamed the collapse of the bridge on “indiscriminate sand mining” near the pillars of the vital road link in Peddavagu stream.