New Delhi: The iconic 96-year-old suspension bridge Lakshman Jhula in Rishikesh was closed on Friday after a PWD report said the condition of the bridge had deteriorated over the years and that the bridge was no longer safe.The 136-metre long bridge was closed on the recommendation of a team of experts who found that most of its parts are on the verge of “collapse”, Uttarakhand additional chief secretary Om Prakash said.The team recommended immediate closure of the bridge to all traffic and pedestrian movement as it was not in a condition to sustain any more load, he said.The closure means that the residents of Tehri Garhwal and Pauri Garhwal will have to walk another two kilometres to Ram Jhula – which was built in the 1990s as the number of tourists shot up – to cross the river Ganga.Watch | In Dibrugarh, India’s Longest Bridges but a National Highway in ShamblesThere has been unprecedented rise in traffic and pedestrian movement along the bridge in recent times and the bridge towers appear to be leaning towards one side, Prakash added.“It is highly recommended that the bridge should be closed with immediate effect otherwise any big mishap can take place anytime,” the team of experts had said in its report to authorities.Built in 1923 over the Ganga river, Lakshman Jhula is an iconic landmark in this city of Uttarakhand that is renowned as a centre for studying yoga and meditation.(With inputs from PTI)