Silchar: A portion of an under-construction bridge on NH-27 collapsed in Assam’s Dima Hasao district on Sunday, raising concerns over infrastructure safety and project monitoring in the northeast. One worker sustained minor injuries; no fatalities were reported.The incident occurred at Dolai Chunga under Harangajao police station limits, on the Nrimbanglo–Harangajao stretch of NH-27. Officials said the structure was still under construction when a segment suddenly gave way, bringing down concrete slabs and other construction materials. The injured worker was treated locally.
The bridge is part of the Silchar–Saurashtra East–West Corridor initiative being implemented by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The four-laning of the 25-km Harangajao–Jatinga stretch in Dima Hasao has been awarded to Gujarat-based Dinesh Chandra R. Agrawal Infracon Private Limited.The collapse comes amid long-running delays in the East–West Corridor project, which has faced setbacks over the past two decades and is seen as strategically significant for improving connectivity between Silchar and western India.Sources said authorities had earlier planned to complete the 25-km stretch and open at least a two-lane carriageway by January 31, later revising the deadline to February 15. The opening was deferred due to technical issues and incomplete flyovers, and Sunday’s collapse has added uncertainty to the timeline.Work on the four-laning in Dima Hasao had recently accelerated following intervention by Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, with instructions reportedly issued to expedite completion ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. Construction had been continuing round the clock in recent weeks.Local observers alleged that pressure to meet deadlines may have affected quality control, though no official confirmation has been made.“The exact cause of the structural failure will be determined only after a detailed technical investigation,” an offcial said on Monday.Police and district officials are monitoring the situation, with further action expected after a technical assessment of the collapsed segment.
