The Bihar government, under Nitish Kumar’s administration, has requested detailed reports from various departments following the collapse of five bridges within a span of 10 days.
Government sources indicate that departments responsible for road construction and rural development have been instructed to issue notices to agencies and private contractors involved in bridge construction.
The notices address serious issues such as the use of substandard materials during construction and inadequate maintenance practices.
“We are waiting for their reports before taking the next course of action,” a senior official at the Chief Minister’s Office told.
Following warnings from the Bihar Engineering Services Association (BESA), an independent network of engineering professionals in Bihar, about potential future bridge collapses without government intervention, the Nitish Kumar government has reportedly taken action.
Bridge collpased within just a time period of 10 days
They have requested detailed reports from relevant departments and issued notices to agencies and contractors involved in bridge construction, citing concerns over the use of substandard materials and maintenance practices.
“There is an urgent need of a third-party inspection as suspending engineers or punishing contractors would not serve any purpose,” senior BESA functionary J K Dutt said.
In the wake of recent events, including the collapse of a 77-meter girder from an under-construction bridge over the Kosi river in Madhubani, the Bihar government’s call for detailed reports and accountability measures follows closely.
The state has witnessed a troubling trend with 13 bridge collapses since April 2022, including incidents like the partial collapse of the Aguwani-Sultanganj bridge in Bhagalpur last June, which is part of a significant infrastructure project costing Rs 1,700 crore.
These incidents have raised concerns statewide, prompting opposition parties like the RJD to demand accountability from the government.
In a post on X on Saturday, RJD leader and former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav:
“Under Bihar’s double-engine government, only five bridges have collapsed in a matter of nine days…. Some people may still call such huge losses of crores of rupees not ‘bhrashtachar’ (corruption) but ‘shishtachar’ (ethics)… Those responsible for the collapse of bridges should resign.”
Everything About The Recent Collapse
The 77-meter girder bridge that collapsed on Friday was part of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and was being constructed at a cost of Rs 2.98 crore. Sources indicate that cracks were observed on the portion that collapsed.
The contractor responsible for the project attributed the collapse to a sudden discharge of water from Nepal, likely caused by heavy rainfall.
This incident underscores ongoing concerns about infrastructure quality and maintenance practices in Bihar.
Recently, a 70-meter long and 12-meter wide bridge over the Mariya river in Kishanganj collapsed on June 25. District officials have taken action by issuing notices to those responsible for bridge maintenance.
Earlier collapses occurred between June 22 and 23, including a section of a bridge under construction between Amwa and Chainpur railway stations in East Champaran, and a bridge over a canal linking Daraunda and Maharajganj blocks in Siwan.
These incidents highlight ongoing concerns regarding infrastructure stability and maintenance practices in Bihar.
On June 18, a bridge located in Araria’s Sikti block collapsed, falling into the Bakra river below.
