Bihar: Under construction bridge collapses before inauguration

A portion of an under-construction bridge collapsed in the Begusarai district of Bihar on December 18. No casualty was reported.  The 206-meter-long bridge is built over the Burhi Gandak River in Sahebpur Kamal.

The bridge is being built by Ma Bhagwati Construction, Begusarai, under the Bihar government’s road construction department (RCD). The approximate construction cost of the bridge was Rs 13crore.

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The district administration prohibited traffic on the bridge after cracks developed in the pillars.

“Though the bridge was not inaugurated, light traffic was continuing as the bridge links three panchayats with a combined population of around 20,000 to NH-31,” officials said adding the inauguration was scheduled after the construction of metaled approach road.

Rohit Kumar, Ballia Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO), informed that investigations have started to probe the incident.

“The bridge was not officially inaugurated as the approach road was incomplete and traffic was strictly prohibited since Thursday after cracks were seen in pillars and hence there was no casualty,” the SDO said.

The bridge started functioning in 2017, without being inaugurated, and villagers were using it since then.

This incident happened when the Bihar Government is already on the target of the Opposition parties because of the recent deaths in the state due to toxic liquor.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on December 17 that the state government will not give compensation to the families of people who died after consuming spurious liquor.