Bridge collapse, erosion cut off villages in Cachar; landslide blocks key road

Silchar: A newly constructed bridge over the Doloo river in Cachar district partially collapsed early Wednesday after heavy overnight rain, cutting off several villages and disrupting access to essential services for hundreds of residents.The collapse at Sonachara in Udharbond constituency has virtually isolated Sonachara, Amranagar, Satyanagar and Sirishthal from the rest of the district. The situation worsened due to severe riverbank erosion, with nearly 500 metres of the Amranagar-Hatichhara Road washed away by the swollen Doloo River.Residents said the damage disrupted daily life, affecting the movement of school and college students and limiting access to healthcare and other essential services.In a separate incident, continuous rainfall triggered a major landslide that blocked the Chandighat PWD Road near Chandighat Tea Garden in Udharbond. Tonnes of mud and debris slid onto the road at Nagar locality under Pangram gram panchayat, cutting off connectivity to Madhura and nearby villages and leaving commuters stranded for hours.Pangram GP chairperson Supriti Kangati visited the site after receiving information and informed the local MLA. District authorities launched a clearance operation, deploying excavators and labourers to remove the debris. Traffic was restored within a few hours.Residents, however, expressed anger over the recurring nature of the problem, alleging that landslides affect the stretch every monsoon and that authorities failed to implement a permanent solution.“This road caves in almost every monsoon. The authorities need a lasting engineering solution instead of emergency repairs every year,” a resident said.Locals also said several bridge approach roads in the Udharbond constituency were washed away earlier this year. They alleged that repeated inspections by local MLA Rajdeep Goala and departmental officials did not result in repair work on the ground.Warning that weakened infrastructure poses a serious safety risk during the monsoon, residents appealed to Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to ensure immediate restoration of connectivity and long-term flood, erosion and slope-protection measures.