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What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
In the past 17 days, at least 12 bridges have collapsed across Bihar. The latest instance came of the bridge collapsing in Bihar on Thursday, 4th July 2024.
NEW DELHI: In the past 17 days, at least 12 bridges have collapsed across Bihar. The latest instance came of the bridge collapsing in Bihar on Thursday, 4th July 2024. According to sources, this is the 12th such bridge collapse incident in the state in just over two weeks.
The latest bridge collapse incident happened in Saran, where three other bridges also collapsed in the last 24 hours in Saran, according to District Magistrate Aman Samir. Thankfully, no one was hurt when the 15-year-old bridge, built by local authorities, fell this morning, he said.
On July 3, two small bridges in Saran district collapsed—one in Janta Bazar and another in Lahladpur. The District Magistrate announced that a high-level investigation will be conducted to determine why these bridges collapsed.
The small bridge over the Gandaki River, located in the Baneyapur block, connected several villages in Saran with the neighbouring Siwan district. “The bridge was built 15 years ago. I’m heading to the site now, and other district officials are already there. We don’t know yet why the bridge collapsed, but desilting work was recently done,” said the District Magistrate.
Locals believe that heavy rainfall in the past few days might have contributed to the incidents. In the last 16 days, a total of 10 bridges have collapsed in the districts of Siwan, Saran, Madhubani, Araria, East Champaran, and Kishanganj.
The latest bridge collapse happened just a day after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar instructed the road construction and rural works departments to survey all old bridges in the state and identify those that need urgent repairs.
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Besides Saran, bridge collapses were reported in Siwan, Chhapra, Madhubani, Araria, East Champaran, and Kishanganj districts over the past two weeks.
Some attribute heavy rainfall as a potential cause for the recent bridge collapses in Bihar. Opposition parties have criticized the government, accusing it of corruption and inadequate response.
In a social media post on X, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav stated on Thursday, “Today, another bridge collapsed in Bihar on July 25. Just yesterday, 3 bridges collapsed, and since June, a total of 12 bridges have collapsed.”
𝟒 जुलाई यानि आज सुबह बिहार में एक पुल और गिरा।
कल 𝟑 जुलाई को ही अकेले 𝟓 पुल गिरे।
𝟏𝟖 जून से लेकर अभी तक 𝟏𝟐 पुल ध्वस्त हो चुके है।
प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी और मुख्यमंत्री नीतीश कुमार इन उपलब्धियों पर एकदम खा़मोश एवं निरुत्तर है। सोच रहे है कि इस मंगलकारी भ्रष्टाचार को…
— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) July 4, 2024
Also, he further criticized PM Modi and CM Nitish Kumar, stating, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar have remained completely silent and inactive regarding these incidents. They are pondering how to turn this corruption into lawlessness.”
“Those who constantly preach about corruption, morality, good governance, and the rule of law have chosen to remain silent on these instances of mismanagement. They have disregarded their conscience and chosen to ignore these issues, despite their claims of high moral standards and understanding.”
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the Chief Minister held a meeting to review bridge maintenance policies. He mentioned that the road construction department has already prepared its bridge maintenance policy and urged the rural works department to quickly develop its plan. Also, he instructed the Road Construction Department (RCD) and Rural Works Department (RWD) to promptly survey all old bridges in the state and identify those needing urgent repairs.
Simultaneously, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court. It requests the Bihar government to conduct a structural audit and establish an expert committee. This committee would assess bridges for reinforcement or demolition based on their condition.
The petition raises concerns about the safety and durability of Bihar’s bridges. It calls for the formation of a high-level expert panel and the implementation of real-time bridge monitoring, aligning with guidelines from the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
