Patna:

A section of the superstructure of the under-construction Sultanganj-Aguwani Ghat bridge collapsed and fell into the Ganga River in Bihar.

Although no injuries were reported in the latest incident involving the bridge that has been nine years in the making, the repeated collapses of various sections of the bridge raise serious questions about the quality of construction and the alignment of the project.

This latest collapse of the Sultanganj-Aguwani Ghat road bridge has intensified concerns, especially since the construction company responsible for the project SK Singla Construction Pvt. Ltd, has not yet provided any clarification regarding the incident.

Eyewitnesses at the construction site captured the collapse on camera and these videos were quickly shared on social media platforms.

अगुवानी सुल्तानगंज में गंगा पे निर्माणाधीन पुल फिर तीसरी बार गिरा ।पूरा system भ्रष्टाचार में लिप्त हैं ।मैं लगातार बोल रहा था कि फिर गिरेगा लेकिन आज तक किसी पे कोई कार्यवाही नहीं हुईं।ना अधिकारी पे ,ना एस.पी सिंघला कंपनी पे ,ना रोडिक कन्सल्टेंसी पे। @narendramodi@nitin_gadkaripic.twitter.com/HLnA3EkaXB

— Dr.Sanjeev Kumar MLA Parbatta,Bihar (@DrSanjeev0121) August 17, 2024

This bridge, envisioned as a key infrastructure project by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, was intended to connect Sultanganj in Bhagalpur District with Aguani Ghat in Khagaria District, facilitating easier travel from Bhagalpur to Jharkhand via Khagaria.

It was also expected to alleviate traffic congestion on the Vikramshila Bridge, a critical link in the region.

However, the repeated collapses – this being the third incident, with a previous collapse on June 4, 2023 -highlight significant flaws and poor quality of construction.

The earlier collapse between pillar numbers 10 and 12 on the Khagaria side led to widespread criticism of the Bihar government.

In response, the government penalised SK Singla Construction Pvt. Ltd., and mandated that the bridge be rebuilt at the company’s expense.

Notably, another section of the bridge on the Bhagalpur side collapsed on June 30, 2022, when the superstructure between pillar numbers 5 and 6 fell into the Ganga River.

The most recent collapse on Saturday involved the superstructure made of iron angles, which also plunged into the river.

Experts have pointed to misalignment issues as a likely cause for these repeated failures.

The foundation stone for the 3.16 km bridge was laid on February 23, 2014, with construction beginning on March 9, 2015.

The Bihar government allocated Rs 1,710 crore to the project, highlighting its significance as a major infrastructure initiative.

Despite this, after nearly nine years in the making, the bridge remains incomplete.

The Bihar government’s road construction department has managed to build a 16 km approach road from the Khagaria side and a 4 km approach road from the Bhagalpur side, but the main structure of the bridge remains unfinished.

This long delay, combined with the repeated structural failures, has cast a shadow over the project’s execution and the quality of work by SK Singla Construction Pvt. Ltd.

The situation calls for an urgent review and corrective measures to ensure that the bridge, once completed, is safe and reliable for public use.

Motihari:

An under-construction small bridge collapsed in East Champaran district on Sunday in third such incident in Bihar in less than a week, officials said.

No casualty was reported in the incident that happened in Ghorasahan block in Motihari, they said.

The 16-metre-long bridge was being built over a canal by the state’s Rural Works Department (RWD) to connect Amwa village to other areas of the block. It was being built at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore, they added.

“The exact cause of the incident is not yet known. It is a serious matter and a departmental inquiry has been ordered. Strict action will be taken against those found guilty,” Additional Chief Secretary of RWD Dipak Kumar Singh told PTI.

“Senior officers of the district administration have reached the spot. A detailed report is awaited,” he said.

District Magistrate Saurabh Jorwal said the exact cause of the incident was being ascertained.

“There are reports that a section of locals initially objected to the construction of certain pillars of the bridge. Police are also looking into this matter,” he told PTI.

On Saturday, a small bridge collapsed in Siwan district. It was built over a canal, connecting the villages of Daraunda and Maharajganj blocks.

Prior to that, on Tuesday, a newly constructed bridge, about 180 metres long, had collapsed in the Araria district.

The state has been witness to several mishaps involving bridges, large and small, constructed over rivers and other water bodies. Though such incidents have not resulted in casualties, these have led to questions being raised on the quality of public works. PTI CORR PKD SOM

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)