After nearly two years of disruption, residents of Kotdwar Bhabar finally received relief as Assembly Speaker Ritu Khanduri inaugurated the newly constructed Malan Bridge on Monday. The bridge, vital for connectivity between Kotdwar, Haridwar, and Laldhang, is now open to vehicular movement.
Although Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was scheduled to attend the ceremony, he addressed the gathering virtually due to unavoidable circumstances. The inauguration began with a religious ceremony in the morning, followed by the ribbon-cutting event led by Speaker Ritu Khanduri, marking the official commencement of traffic on the bridge.
The 325-meter span Malan Bridge had been damaged by floods and erosion on July 13, 2023. Reconstructed at a cost of ₹26.75 crore, the bridge features 12 pillars built using the well foundation (Kuan) technique to withstand river flow and heavy traffic. This design was recommended by IIT-BHU experts who studied the bridge’s structural requirements and surrounding conditions.
With the bridge now operational, transportation between Kotdwar Bhabar and nearby regions like Haridwar and Laldhang is expected to improve significantly, restoring normalcy for residents and boosting local commerce.
