Even as a high-level panel of the Bihar Government has launched a probe into the recent spate of bridge collapses across the State, yet another incident on Wednesday involving a bridge over the Gandak river in Siwan district of the State has raised serious concern about the quality of infrastructure and public safety.
The latest bridge collapse marks the seventh such incident in a span of just 15 days in the State and second in Siwan district in the last 11 days.
Mercifully, however, despite the severity of these collapses, there have been no casualties thus far. With the State’s rivers swelling due to continuous heavy rain, the possibility of more such incidents occurring in the coming days cannot be discounted, members of the Bihar Engineering Services Association (BESA) have warned.
The troubling series of incidents began on June 19 with the collapse of an under-construction bridge in Araria, followed by collapses in Siwan on June 22, East Champaran on June 23, and Kishanganj on June 24.
The collapse of the bridge over the Gandaki river in Deooria Block in Siwan district on Wednesday has severed essential connections between several villages and Mahrajganj, leaving the locals at the receiving end.
Deputy Development Commissioner Mukesh Kumar said the exact cause is under investigation. Senior officials from the block have already reached the site, he added.
“A portion of a bridge in Deoria block collapsed this morning. The exact cause is being investigated,” he added.
“The incident took place around 5 am. As per initial information, the bridge was constructed in 1982-83. Repair work was going on the bridge for the last few days,” Kumar added.
Villagers suggested that heavy rainfall over the preceding days may have contributed to the collapse, with a surge in Gandaki river potentially weakening the bridge’s structure.
This incident follows closely on the heels of another bridge collapse in the district just 11 days ago. On June 22, a portion of a bridge collapsed in Darounda area, prompting the Bihar Government to set up a high-level committee to investigate these occurrences.
The cave-in was also reported from the Bheja police station area of Madhubani district, situated in the State’s northern extreme, along the borders with Nepal.
The bridge that collapsed in Bihar’s Thakurganj was built in 2007-08, and had been rendered unusable after it developed a crack and sank by a foot.
Similarly, a bridge in Thakurganj block succumbed to rising water levels in the Bund River following heavy rains, causing it to sink by a foot and crack, rendering it too dangerous for use.
The bridge, located in Khoshi Dangi village of Patharia panchayat, was constructed in 2007-2008 with funds from the MP budget of the then MP Md Tasleemuddin of Thakurganj and was connecting several panchayats.
This incident follows the collapse of an under-construction bridge in the Madhubani region on June 28 which was being built by the Rural Works Department of the Bihar government at a cost of `3 crore since 2021.
Following the collapses, the blame game has already begun, intensifying concerns about accountability and oversight in Bihar’s infrastructure management. Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge took a swipe at the bridge cave-in in the State while Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi smelled a possible conspiracy behind the incidents, implying a deliberate attempt to defame the BJP-led State Government.
“Why has the State suddenly started witnessing incidents of bridge collapse? Why is it happening after the Lok Sabha polls? Why were such incidents not taking place a month before? I suspect some conspiracy behind it. Authorities concerned must look into this aspect,” Manjhi said. He also acknowledged the use of sub-standard materials by contractors as a contributing factor and assured that the State Government is taking action against those responsible.
“It is happening because of the sub-standard material being used by contractors. The state government is taking action against such contractors. The state authorities are probing the matter as well. I also request them to probe the conspiracy angle,” he added.
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav took a sarcastic jibe at the Nitish Kumar-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Bihar. In a post on X, he wrote, “Congratulations! The double power of the double engine government has led to only five bridges collapsing in just nine days.”
