At least 12 bridges have collapsed across Bihar in the past 17 days, with the latest incident occurring on Thursday in Saran district. This marks the third bridge collapse in Saran within 24 hours, according to District Magistrate Aman Samir.
No casualties were reported in the collapse of the 15-year-old bridge over the Gandaki River, which connected villages in Saran to neighbouring Siwan district. The cause is still under investigation, but officials mentioned recent desilting work in the area.
Out of the three bridges in Saran, two on the Gandak River, barely a kilometer apart, collapsed within two hours on Wednesday. One bridge, constructed in 2004, was near the Dodh Nath Temple. The other was a British-era structure.
A third bridge, a 15-year-old structure over the Gandaki, collapsed on Thursday.
This incident comes a day after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ordered a survey of all old bridges in the state to identify those needing urgent repairs. The Chief Minister has called for improved bridge maintenance policies from both the road construction and rural works departments.
Apart from Saran, bridge collapses were reported in Siwan, Chhapra, Madhubani, Araria, East Champaran and Kishanganj districts in over a fortnight.
BRIDGE COLLAPSE TIMELINE
| June 18 | Araria |
| June 22 | Siwan |
| June 23 | East Champaran |
| June 27 | Kisanganj |
| June 28 | Madhubani |
| July 1 | Muzaffarpur |
| July 3 | 3 in Siwan, 2 in Saran |
| July 4 | Saran |
Two bridges collapsed back to back in Kisanganj between June 27 and June 30.
One was reported in the village of Khoshi Dangi in Thakurganj, where a pillar of a bridge constructed with funds from then MP Taslimuddin was damaged on June 27 due to heavy downpour and subsequent increase in water discharge in the river. Close to 50,000 people are claimed to be affected by this, according to local Mukhiya Jawahar Singh.
Another bridge was damaged on the Maria river in Kisanganj’s Bahadurganj area. This bridge was built back in 2011 under NDA rule by the state rural works department at an estimated cost of Rs 25 lakh.
Another under-construction bridge collapsed in the Ghodasahan area of East Champaran. The construction work was being conducted at an estimated cost of Rs 1.5 crore by Dheerendra Construction Company. The locals blamed it on irresponsible construction.
A makeshift bamboo bridge was reported damaged on the Baghmati river in the Aurai block of Muzaffarpur district on July 1, with videos going viral on social media. Locals claimed that they build makeshift bridges for commuting every year at their own cost, which get damaged during this season.
Three bridges collapsed back to back in the Maharajganj block of Siwan district on July 3. One collapse was reported in the village of Sikandarpur, another in Deoria panchayat, and the third one in Bhikhabandh. All of these constructions were funded by then MP Prabhunath Singh and are over thirty years old.
Another under-construction bridge on the Bakra river collapsed in Bihar’s Araria on June 18. The project was initiated at an estimated cost of close to Rs 8 crore back in May 2021 and was supposed to be completed by 2023. Locals claim that additional funds were needed to finish the construction of its approach road, without which it was rendered useless. It is claimed that a population of over 2 lakh is directly impacted by the delayed and substandard construction.
On July 2, a small bridge over the Gandaki River in Deoria of Siwan and another small bridge reportedly met the same fate in Teghra block of the district. With today’s collapse, the totoal number in the past 17 days now stands at 12.
While the government cites de-siltation drives conducted in the rivers across the state and heavy rain as a possible contributing factor to the series of bridge failures in the state, opposition parties launched an all-out attack on the Nitish Kumar government alleging corruption and lack of action.
Meanwhile, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking directions for the Bihar government to undertake a structural audit and set up an expert committee to identify bridges that can be either strengthened or demolished based on the findings.
The petition, which raised concerns about the safety and longevity of the bridges in the state, sought directions to set up a high-level expert panel and implement real-time monitoring of the bridges according to the parameters of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
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Aisha Patel is a dedicated Indian correspondent with a deep understanding of the nation’s diverse affairs. With a background in Indian culture, politics, and current events, she provides in-depth analysis and timely reporting on domestic issues within India.
