4 July 2024: Bihar continues to grapple with a severe infrastructure crisis as five bridges collapsed in a single day on Wednesday, disrupting connectivity for several villages. The latest incidents occurred in Siwan and Saran districts, where heavy rains caused significant damage.
In Siwan, two bridges over the Chhadi River collapsed, rendering the nearby road unusable due to flooding. The district magistrate, Mukul Kumar Gupta, explained that the Chhadi River, previously dry, had been revived under the “Jal Jeevan Hariyali” mission, which enabled irrigation for thousands of acres of farmland. However, the old bridges, built 40-45 years ago with brick foundations, could not withstand the recent heavy rainfall.
Gupta assured that alternative routes are available and the state government has plans to reconstruct all old bridges. Meanwhile, in Saran’s Janata Bazar area, two more bridges collapsed on Wednesday, impacting numerous residents. Local journalist Amit Kumar Gupta reported that one of these bridges, built in 2004, fell near the Baba Dholanath Temple, while the other, an older structure from the British era, also gave way.
The collapsed bridges have severed connections for around 20-25 villages in the area, further complicating daily life for the residents. Bihar has seen a worrying trend of both new and under-construction bridges collapsing. In the past 15 days alone, more than ten bridges have fallen across the state.
Recent bridge collapses have been reported in Araria, Siwan, East Champaran, Kishanganj, and Madhubani districts. Notably, the Araria incident involved a bridge under construction over the Bakra River. A four-member team is currently investigating the incident, with a report expected within a week.
The issue has sparked political controversy, with opposition parties blaming the government for poor infrastructure management. Tejashwi Yadav, leader of the RJD, criticized the current NDA government, alleging corruption and mismanagement in bridge construction.
Bihar’s history of bridge collapses extends to last year when a segment of a bridge over the Ganges River, costing approximately 1,717 crore rupees, fell. This incident led to widespread criticism of the state government, then led by a coalition of the RJD and other parties.
Bridge failures are often attributed to natural disasters and poor construction quality. Dr. Rajeev Kumar Garg of the Central Road Research Institute in Delhi has conducted extensive studies on the causes of bridge failures in India. His findings indicate that over 80% of bridge collapses are due to natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, and storms. Additionally, excessive sand mining and substandard construction materials significantly contribute to these failures.
Despite increased investment in road and bridge infrastructure, with spending rising from $8.28 billion in 2014-15 to $21.88 billion in 2018-19, the frequency of such incidents highlights the need for improved construction practices and better disaster management.
