Indian Army constructs 190-ft-long Bailey bridge at Wayanad to connect landslide affected areas

WAYANAD: The Madras Engineering Group of the Indian Army on Thursday completed the construction of the 190-ft-long Bailey bridge that will help connect the worst-affected areas of Mundakkai and Chooralmala in Wayanad district which were hit by devastating landslides on Tuesday.

The construction of the bridge started at 9.30 pm on Wednesday and was completed by 5.30 pm on Thursday.

Major General V T Mathew, GOC-Karnataka and Kerala Sub-Area crossed the bridge in his official vehicle after the completion of the construction of the structure, which has a weight-carrying capacity of 24 tonnes.

The Class 24 Bailey Bridge constructed in Wayanad district will connect Chooralmala with Mundakkai over the Iruvanjippuzha River.

"From #Landslide to #Lifeline. When nature knocked down a bridge,#IndianArmy swiftly constructed a more resilient one. True to form, the Army Commander fearlessly led the way across the #BaileyBridge," the Defence PRO said in a post on X.

Following the vehicle of the commander, the Army medical unit and a military truck passed through the bridge, after which it was handed over to the civil administration.

The bridge connecting the two places had washed away in the devastating landslide that happened on Tuesday.

The rescue workers had made temporary wooden bridges between landmasses to cross over and help those stranded there.

However, in the heavy rains on Wednesday, those temporary structures too failed.

The materials for building the bridge were flown into Kannur airport from Delhi and Bengaluru and brought to Wayanad by 17 trucks.

The Army's rescue operation is being coordinated under the leadership of Major General V T Mathew, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Kerala and Karnataka Sub Area.