From correspondents in Himachal Pradesh, India, 07:31 PM IST

The national highways authorities Sunday summoned officials of a power project to fix liability for the damage to a bridge in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district after a truck carrying machinery tried to cross it despite a warning that the bridge could not take such a heavy load.

The Bailey bridge, which is a portable pre-fabricated bridge, over the Beas river collapsed Saturday morning after a container truck carrying machinery for the Allian Duhangan power project tried to cross it despite the warning that the bridge could not take such a heavy load.

Superintendent of Police (Kullu) Jagat Ram told IANS by phone that the national highways authorities summoned the power project officials to discuss the issue. However, there was no outcome of the meeting.

He said a case had been registered against the power project and the Chandigarh-based transport company for damaging the bridge.

The bridge was built to carry 18 tonnes of weight but the truck was carrying 50 tonnes.

He said the repair of the bridge would start only after the truck, which was precariously perched on the collapsed bridge, is removed.

The bridge was a crucial link to the Sikh holy shrine at Manikaran and Garsa valley in Kullu district.

The army had built the bridge after the link road to the main bridge across the Beas river was washed away in the 1995 floods.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)