The Indian Army, working in close coordination with the civil administration, has completed the construction of a Bailey bridge in Limchigad, Uttarkashi, restoring connectivity after the original structure was swept away during the August 5 cloudburst in Dharali.
Following the destruction of the bridge, transportation in the region came to a standstill, prompting urgent restoration measures. Teams from the police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), engineers, and other rescue units, along with the Indian Army’s engineering wing from the Bengal Engineers Group (BEG), worked tirelessly despite heavy rainfall to complete the task. Search, medical, and communication teams also joined the effort, culminating in the completion of the 90-foot Bailey bridge at 5 pm on Sunday.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and Army engineers jointly undertook the construction. Situated on the Gangotri National Highway, the new bridge spans the Limchigad between Gangnani and Dharali, with a load capacity of nearly 50 tonnes, significantly improving relief and rescue operations in the challenging Himalayan terrain.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, in a statement on X, said, “The construction work of the Bailey Bridge at Limchigad has been completed, and the bridge has been opened for traffic. Now, through this bridge, not only are relief materials and machinery being sent forward quickly, but the movement of local people has also resumed smoothly. In this difficult time of disaster, our government is working with full commitment to normalise public life.”
Authorities are also working to clear blockages along the highway at Songad, Dabrani, Harsil, and Dharali. However, continuous heavy rain is hampering helicopter evacuations of stranded individuals. Since evacuation operations began on Wednesday, 1,273 people have been airlifted from Dharali and Harsil by Sunday evening.?
