Bridge in Gonba: Sokolov ordered the owner to be investigated and the minister to be rewarded.

      Today the government reported that an unpleasant incident occurred with the pontoon bridge over the Vyatka River in the village of Gonba, Malmyzhsky District. The bridge is pontoon and privately owned. However, the owner was unable to carry out the necessary work on his own when ice movement began on the river. The Transport Ministry had to step in.

      According to Minister Alexey Petryakov, the Kazan–Perm road goes across the bridge, but it is indeed private and belongs to a local entrepreneur. At the beginning of the month the owner decided to open the bridge and informed everyone of this. However, later, due to a strong current and rising water levels, barge No. 5 was displaced. From the 8th to the 24th, with the help of the Transport Ministry and various organizations, work was carried out to return the barge to its position. Then problems arose with barges No. 3 and 4, which were only reinstalled on the 27th. On December 28 traffic across the bridge was reopened.

      After hearing the report, Governor Alexander Sokolov ordered that Petryakov be awarded a bonus equal to one month’s salary. He said the minister acted very effectively, and, even in such difficult conditions, personally went to the site and supervised everything.

      Sokolov also criticized the actions of the bridge owner, whom, according to the head of the municipality, had to be persuaded to carry out the work. The governor called the fact that he could not cope with his duties a strange situation and ordered that it be given a legal assessment. The prosecutor’s office replied that the matter is under their control and that the owner has already been issued a warning.