Bridge Collapses Continue in Bihar: 12 Structures Down in 17 Days
Patna, 4th July 2024: In the last 17 days, Bihar has witnessed the collapse of at least 12 bridges, with the most recent incident occurring on Thursday in Saran district, according to District Magistrate Aman Samir. This marks the third bridge collapse in Saran within two days.
Fortunately, there were no reported casualties in the collapse of the 15-year-old bridge over the Gandaki River, which linked villages in Saran to the neighbouring Siwan district. The cause of the collapse is still under investigation, although officials have noted recent desilting efforts in the area.
In Saran, two bridges spanning the Gandak River, located less than a kilometre apart, collapsed within two hours on Wednesday. One bridge, built in 2004 near the Dodh Nath Temple, and another dating back to the British era were affected.
The incident follows Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s directive for a comprehensive survey of all old bridges in the state to identify those requiring urgent repairs. He has called for enhanced bridge maintenance policies from the road construction and rural works departments.
In addition to Saran, bridge collapses have been reported in districts including Siwan, Chhapra, Madhubani, Araria, East Champaran, and Kishanganj over the past two weeks. Opposition parties have criticized the Nitish Kumar government, alleging corruption and inaction.
Meanwhile, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court urging the Bihar government to conduct a structural audit and establish an expert committee to assess bridges for reinforcement or demolition based on findings. The petition emphasizes concerns about bridge safety and proposes real-time monitoring aligned with Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways standards.
