Rangchang spanned more firmly NEW BRIDGE BEGINS ACCEPTING TRAFFIC, AWAITS FORMAL INAUGURATION

MANGAN, 07 Oct: After more than a year’s gap, vehicles have now started plying over the re-constructed Rangchang Khola bridge. The bridge had collapsed on 19 December 2011, claiming 10 lives.
The bridge has been reconstructed by Teesta Urja, whose truck had brought the bridge down in 2011, and although it has not been officially inaugurated yet, the bridge has opened to vehicular traffic.
Rangchang Khola is located 18 kms from Singtam towards Dikchu on the Singtam-Mangan highway. The bridge over this Khola had collapsed when a 48-wheeler truck engaged by the Teesta Urja was attempting to cross the bridge. Midway across the bridge, the entire span collapsed, taking along with it the vehicle, its occupants along with 4 pedestrians.
The vehicle was on its way from Siliguri to Chungthang where Teesta Urja is constructing the Teesta Stage III hydel project. The collapsed bridge constructed by Project Swastik was less than three years old at the time.
The reconstructed bridge, however, needs safety bars to be installed for pedestrians, without which it is unsafe for pedestrians, especially school going children.