Upreti demands harsh punishment for Rangchang Bridge collapse guilty

GANGTOK, 21 Dec: Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee senior vice-president, KN Upreti, in a press statement issued today, has condoled the deaths suffered in the recent Rangchang Bridge collapse and has demanded “harsh punishment” for those responsible for the mishap and sought that the Border Roads Organisation [under whose charge the bridge fell], compensate “heavily” for the fatalities.

“It is a matter of concern as to how the BRO and the State authority overlook the highly irresponsible activities of the private companies which has caused the bridge to collapse resulting in the death of several innocent people,” Mr. Upreti states with reference to the 48-wheel trailer which was on the bridge at the time of collapse.
“While every private carriage trucks are checked in the checkposts to find if the load exceeds 8 to 10 tons, which is the prescribed limit by the State authority, project’s carriers run with 70/80 tons of load unchecked. Government policy should not be discriminating and should treat all equally,” he adds.