The iconic suspension bridge in Rishikesh, Lakshman Jhula has been closed for traffic Friday after a team of experts declared that it could not sustain anymore load, officials told
The recommendation from the experts came after they found that most parts of the 450-feet long iron suspension bridge were in ‘fail’ or ‘collapse’ condition, Additional Chief Secretary Om Prakash was quoted as sayin.
According to the expert team, the bridge cannot sustain any more load and so all vehicular and pedestrian movement on the bridge has been closed effective immediately. The decision was taken as keeping it operational could have been risky, the official said.
The additional secretary also said that the bridge had witnessed an unprecedented rise in traffic and pedestrian movement in recent times and the bridge towers appear to be leaning towards one side,
In its report, the experts reported: “It is highly recommended that the bridge should be closed with immediate effect otherwise any big mishap can take place anytime.”
The Jhula is one of the main attractions for tourists and devotees coming to Rishikesh, the pedestrian bridge also used by two-wheelers was named after Hindu mythological character Lakshman. It is believed that he used jute ropes as a bridge to cross the Ganges river.
Many Hindi films and serials like “Ganga Ki Saugandh”, “Sanyasi” have been shot at the Lakshman Jhula.