📷 Image Credits: India Today
In a concerning development for Bihar’s infrastructure, two bridges in the Saran district have collapsed, marking the ninth such incident in the state in the past 15 days. This alarming trend of bridge collapses has severely impacted communication between multiple villages, disrupting local businesses, and hindering access to essential services like schools and hospitals. The collapse of these bridges, located over the Gandaki River, has raised questions about the quality of infrastructure in the state.
The first bridge that collapsed, constructed in 2004 near a British-era bridge, crumbled during ongoing riverbank cleaning work. Witnesses captured the dramatic incident on their mobile phones, highlighting the swift erosion of the bridge’s foundation due to the strong water flow, leading to its collapse into the river. This incident has prompted officials to form a two-member team, including the Sub-Divisional Officer and a Flood Department engineer, to investigate the cause of the collapse.
Furthermore, the second bridge, over 100 years old from the British era, succumbed to the heavy monsoon rains and gave way, further exacerbating the state’s infrastructure challenges. District Magistrate Aman Sameer assured that a detailed report on the incidents will be submitted to the state government within 24 hours, following the team’s findings.
The spate of bridge collapses in Bihar, with incidents reported in districts like Madhubani, Araria, East Champaran, and Kishanganj, has stirred political controversy. Opposition parties have criticized the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led government, attributing the frequent collapses to alleged corruption in the administration. This wave of infrastructure failures has underscored the urgent need for thorough scrutiny of existing structures and comprehensive maintenance to prevent similar incidents in the future.
