Visakhapatnam: A mock drill held on the floating bridge at RK Beach, which simulated the detachment of the viewpoint from the pier, stirred up concern in Visakhapatnam on Monday.
The news, accompanied by images, quickly spread across social media platforms, reaching various corners of the state.
The bridge had been inaugurated by Rajya Sabha member and YSRC regional coordinator Y V Subba Reddy, along with ministers and MLAs, just the day before.
In an effort to mitigate the situation on Monday evening, the VMRDA issued a statement explaining that while the original plan was to open the bridge to the public on Monday, it had to be postponed due to high tide. Instead, a mock drill was conducted to assess the bridge's stability.
The private operator of the bridge temporarily detached the viewpoint from the pier and repositioned it slightly further away.
Observers who noticed the gap between the pier and the viewpoint captured videos and photos, which were subsequently circulated on social media, leading to rumors of damage to the bridge.
However, the statement clarified that these rumors were unfounded, as the detachment of the viewpoint from the pier was simply part of a mock drill designed to evaluate the bridge's stability during high tide.