The Uttarakhand government on 7 August 2026 suspended three Public Works Department (PWD) engineers and ordered immediate action against design consultants after the approach road of a newly built bridge on the Tons River was damaged. The bridge, located at Nanda Ki Chauki on the old Dehradun–Paonta Sahib National Highway, suffered the damage due to heavy upstream scouring that created a cavity beneath the approach road.

What the Inquiry Found

A preliminary inquiry attributed the failure primarily to the design consultant, who did not provide the required design for river diversion work and failed to recommend river training measures — despite the river bed's known cross slope and meandering nature. As a result, river flow concentrated on a single span, triggering severe scouring. The proof-checking consultant was also held responsible.

Secretary, Uttarakhand Government, Pankaj Kumar Pandey issued formal directions on 7 August 2026 to the Chief Engineer, PWD, Dehradun, citing the preliminary inquiry report from the Chief Engineer, Regional Office. He called for immediate action against the consultants and a time-bound plan based on protective measures recommended in the report.

Officers Suspended

Executive Engineer Rajesh Kumar of the provincial division, PWD, Dehradun, was suspended with immediate effect for failing to ensure technical supervision, quality control, and compliance with contractual conditions. The order described this as gross negligence and serious dereliction of duty that damaged the government's image and harmed public interest.

Assistant Engineer Amit Tyagi and Junior Engineer Naveen Gairola of the same division were suspended on identical grounds — failure to maintain technical oversight, enforce quality control, ensure contractual compliance, and report critical deficiencies to senior officers.

Terms of Suspension

All three suspended officers will remain attached to the office of the Chief Engineer, PWD, Dehradun during the suspension period. They will receive a subsistence allowance as per rules and are barred from leaving headquarters without prior permission. The suspensions have been ordered under the Uttarakhand Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 2003, given the serious nature of the case and the possibility of major penalties.

What Happens Next

The government has stressed the need for swift corrective measures to protect the bridge structure and prevent further damage. A time-bound action plan based on the inquiry's protective recommendations is expected to be submitted to the secretariat. This incident adds to a growing pattern of infrastructure accountability actions in Uttarakhand, where terrain-specific engineering challenges — including river meandering and scouring — have repeatedly tested project oversight frameworks.