It's not the NH-60 for which people residing in northern region of Balasore have to face flood fury time and again, but the bridges on the NH, which have proved more a bane than a boon for people. The bridges were built for smooth passage of water but it is allegedly due to these bridges that about 10 lakh people had to spend sleepless nights during the last month's floods. Trucks carrying relief materials were stranded and could not reach the victims for over a week, till the district administration found an alternative route. And all this because at least six bridges developed depressions while one caved in due to the heavy current of flood waters on the NH. These depressions disrupted vehicular movement between Balasore and West Bengal for over a month. While both sides of the bridge at Mirigimundi were completely washed away, the bridges near Fuladi, Odangi, Haladipada, Nalbahar and Basta were badly damaged with flood waters washing away soil under them. Now the Gurgaon-based Water and Power Consultancy Services (Wapcos), an independent consultancy, which was entrusted with the task to identify faults in the construction, in its report has reportedly blamed the NHAI for the faulty designs of the NH and the bridges. Though the report is with the State Government and is yet to be made public, sources said Wapcos has blamed NHAI for the damage.