Dehradun, August 7: The Uttarakhand government has suspended three engineers from the Public Works Department (PWD) following the deterioration of the approach road to a newly constructed bridge over the Tons River. Immediate action has also been ordered against the design consultant responsible for the project.
This incident is linked to the bridge located near ‘Nanda Ki Chowki’ on the old Dehradun-Paonta Sahib National Highway. An initial investigation revealed that erosion caused by river flow created a pit, leading to the damage of the approach road. The investigation primarily held the design consultant accountable for failing to provide essential designs for river diversion and for not suggesting measures to control the river despite its sloping and winding nature. Consequently, the river’s flow became concentrated in one area, resulting in erosion.
On August 7, 2026, Uttarakhand Secretary Pankaj Kumar Pandey issued directives to the chief engineer of PWD in Dehradun, referencing the preliminary investigation report submitted by the regional office’s chief engineer. He emphasized the need to hold both the design consultant and the proof-checking consultant responsible.
Pandey instructed immediate action against them and requested a time-bound action plan based on the safety measures recommended in the investigation report to ensure the bridge’s safety in the future.
Additionally, the same day, an office order was released suspending three supervising officials. Rajesh Kumar, the executive engineer of the provincial division in Dehradun, was suspended with immediate effect. The order stated that he had failed in technical supervision, quality control, adherence to contract terms, and proper execution of his duties. This was described as gross negligence and a serious lapse in duty, damaging the government’s image and affecting public interest.
Assistant Engineer Amit Tyagi and Junior Engineer Naveen Gairola from the same division were also suspended for similar reasons. They were held responsible for not providing technical oversight, failing to implement quality control, not adhering to contract terms, and not informing senior officials about significant technical deficiencies.
During their suspension, all three officials will remain attached to the chief engineer’s office in Dehradun. They will receive subsistence allowances as per regulations and are prohibited from leaving the headquarters without prior permission.
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