Six bridges have collapsed in 13 days in Bihar, prompting concerns about their impact on local communities and raising questions about their design, construction quality and oversight.
Another bridge caved in at Khausi Dangi village under Thakurganj block in Kishanganj on Sunday, affecting the connectivity of around 60,000 people living in villages around it. The bridge was built over the Boond river in 2009-10 with the MPLAD funds of then Kishanganj MP Muhammad Taslimuddin.
“Two spans of the bridge have been damaged after its pillars went down by a foot. There has been heavy rainfall and the river is in spate. Plying heavy vehicles on it could also be a reason. We have closed the bridge for traffic,” rural works department assistant engineer Alok Bhushan told reporters.
An under-construction bridge on the Bhutahi Balan river in Madhubani district collapsed on June 28. A 70-metre-long bridge over the Madiya river had caved in Kishanganj district on June 27. Bridges also collapsed in Siwan on June 22, in East Champaran on June 23 and in Araria on June 18.
Chief minister Nitish Kumar has formed committees to identify the causes behind the frequent collapse. A member of one of the committees said the reasons could be divided into three categories — natural, man-made and geo-technical.
“Rivers in Bihar are infamous for changing course. Their discharge of water, height and flow need to be assessed with attention. The location of a bridge in the state is decided on the basis of politics, land availability and connectivity instead of the principles of engineering. This increases the chances of mishaps,” he added.
