Bihar: 'Collapse' Of Portion Of Under-Construction Bridge Sparks Political Slugfest

Joining a long list of bridge collapses in the state in recent past, an incident in Bihar saw portion of an under-construction bridge collapsing near Nandani Lagunia Railway Station in Samastipur District, said multiple media reports. The ‘Bakhtiyarpur-Tajpur Ganga Mahasetu’ is being constructed by Bihar State Road Development Corporation Ltd (BSRDCL). Although it has been reported in media that the portion of the bridge collapsed, the officials are maintaining that it was a routine dismantling process.

ANI quoted an official who said that it was not a collapse but a girder was being dismantled during a process of replacement.

Even Press Trust of India (PTI) quoted an official who appeared to downplay the incident.

“The incident took place during the replacement of bearings of girders of the Bakhtiyarpur-Tajpur Ganga Mahasetu. While placing the girders on the pillars, one of them collapsed," said BSRDCL Chief General Manager Prabin Chandra as quoted by PTI

"Replacing the bearings is a routine exercise. There are no reports of casualty. We are going to the spot to inspect the ongoing work," he added.

The foundation stone for the construction of the bridge was laid by current Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in June 2011. It was estimated that the project would cost Rs 1602.74 crore.

Opposition lashes out at Nitish Kumar

The latest incident drew reaction from the opposition in Bihar. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) trained guns on the state government over its handling of infrastructure safety.

"Crime in Bihar is on the rise. The trend of bridges collapsing in Bihar is continuing. The government is exposed. They were trying to put back the debris into a JCB. This is the case with almost all bridges in Bihar. Corruption is at its peak," he said.

Janata Dal (United) leader Neeraj Kumar defended the government.

"In the tenure of CM Nitish Kumar, bridges are being built on the Ganga approximately every 40 km. Did the Bakhtiyarpur-Tajpur span collapse? When the span casting was not done, how can it collapse? It was a six-year-old beam that had corroded," he said.