Rishikesh, 17 Oct: A tourist reportedly fell straight into the Ganga River while strolling on the under-construction glass bridge, ‘Bajrang Setu’, in Rishikesh today. The tourist who fell into Ganga was instantly swept away by the current. Police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams are currently conducting a search operation in the Ganga. So far, the tourist remains untraced.
The tourist who is now missing has been identified as Hemant Soni (31) from Delhi. He had arrived in Laxman Jhula with his friends Amit Soni and Akshat Seth. According to reports, the incident occurred late last night. Despite the route being closed late in the evening, the three tourists ventured onto the Bajrang Setu. While walking, the tourists reached the section of the bridge where the glass pathway has not yet been installed.
Due to the darkness of the night, the tourists failed to notice that the glass floor was missing. Consequently, Hemant Soni fell straight from the Bajrang Setu into the Ganga. His friends were stunned and immediately raised an alarm. They quickly informed the police. Upon receiving the information, the police and subsequently the SDRF team rushed to the spot.
A rescue operation was launched, but due to the darkness, the tourist could not be traced. The rescue operation has resumed today to locate the missing person. SDRF Inspector Kavindra Sajwan stated that the search operation for the tourist in the Ganga is ongoing.
The incident has been reported to the family members, who have left Delhi for Rishikesh. The search for the tourist who fell into the Ganga is currently underway, informed Laxman Jhula Police Station In-charge Santosh Paithwal.
The incident has raised questions why barricades had not been put up at the entrance of the bridge to prevent people from entering the bridge and also whether a security deployment should have been there or not. Also, the locals assert that a banner or hoarding asking people to stay away from the under-construction bridge should also have been put up at the entrance.
It may be recalled that the glass bridge is being constructed next to the world-famous Laxman Jhula, and the work is nearing its final stage. It is expected that the glass bridge will be ready soon, allowing movement on the glass bridge in Rishikesh itself. This bridge will connect the Tehri and Pauri districts.
The Bajrang Setu will be 132 metres long and is being built with a width of 5 metres. A 65-millimetre-thick transparent glass footpath, measuring one and a half metres wide, is being prepared on both sides of the bridge. This bridge is expected to be a major attraction for people from across the country and the world, as this glass bridge will be one of the select few of its kind globally.
