On Wednesday, a bridge collapsed on the Gandak River in Siwan district, marking the tenth bridge collapse in just two weeks since June 18.
As a high-level panel of the Bihar Government begins an investigation into the recent spate of bridge collapses across the state, three bridge collapse incidents occurred in Siwan district on Wednesday alone. This has raised serious concerns about the quality of infrastructure and public safety in Bihar, the third-most populous state in India.
Fortunately, there have been no casualties thus far. However, with continuous heavy rain causing the rivers to swell, the Bihar Engineering Services Association (BESA) has issued warnings that more such incidents could happen in the coming days.
The series of bridge-collapse incidents began on June 19 with the collapse of an under-construction bridge in Araria, followed by collapses in Siwan on June 22, East Champaran on June 23, and Kishanganj on June 24.
The bridge over the Gandak River in Deooria Block, Siwan district, collapsed on Wednesday, severing essential connections between several villages. As per officials, the exact cause is under investigation.
Villagers believe that heavy rainfall in the days leading up to the collapse may have contributed to it, with a surge in the Gandak River potentially weakening the bridge’s structure.
On June 22, a portion of a bridge collapsed in the Darounda area, prompting the Bihar Government to establish a high-level committee to investigate these occurrences.
Another collapse was also reported from the Bheja police station area of Madhubani district, situated in the state’s northern extreme along the borders with Nepal.
Similarly, a bridge in Thakurganj block, succumbed to rising water levels in the Bund River following heavy rains, causing it to sink by one foot and crack, making it too dangerous for use.
The bridge, located in Khoshi Dangi village of Patharia panchayat, was constructed in 2007-2008 with funds from the MP budget of the then-MP Md Tasleemuddin of Thakurganj and was connecting several panchayats.
This incident occurred after the collapse of a bridge under construction in the Madhubani region on June 28. The bridge was being built by the Rural Works Department of the Bihar government at a cost of ₹3 crore since 2021.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, criticized the bridge cave-in in the state. Meanwhile, Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi suspected a possible conspiracy, suggesting a deliberate attempt to defame the BJP-led state government.
“Why is the state suddenly witnessing incidents of bridge collapse? Why is it happening after the Lok Sabha polls? Why were such incidents not taking place a month before? I suspect some conspiracy behind it. Authorities concerned must look into this aspect,” Manjhi said. He also acknowledged the use of sub-standard materials by contractors as a contributing factor and assured that the state government is taking action against those responsible.
“It is happening because of the sub-standard material being used by contractors. The state government is taking action against such contractors. The state authorities are also investigating the matter. I also request them to investigate the conspiracy angle,” he added.
Tejashwi Yadav, the leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, sarcastically criticized the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by Nitish Kumar in Bihar. In a post, he wrote, “Congratulations! The double power of the double engine government has led to only five bridges collapsing in just nine days.”
