Bihar Bridge Collapse: 12th Bridge Falls in Saran in Just 17 Days

With 12 bridge failures in only 17 days, Bihar is dealing with an unparalleled infrastructural disaster. Examine the origins, effects, and possible remedies for this concerning circumstance.

Bridge collapses in Bihar, India, are becoming more frequent and catastrophic, posing a serious threat to the region’s infrastructure. A startling twelve bridges have fallen in only the last seventeen days in different regions, prompting grave worries about both public safety and the state’s building standards.

The Most Recent Event

In the Saran district, the most recent bridge collapse happened on Thursday, July 4. The fact that this is Saran’s third bridge collapse in as many days emphasizes how serious the situation is. The settlements in Saran were linked to the nearby Siwan region by a fifteen-year-old bridge that crossed the Gandaki River. Thankfully, there were no reported injuries in this occurrence.

An Unsettling Trend

In Bihar, bridge failures are happening more often than ever before:

• June 18: Araria bridge collapse – June 22: Siwan incident – June 23: East Champaran collapse
• June 27: Kisanganj bridge collapse – June 28: Madhubani incident – July 1: Muzaffarpur bridge collapse – July 3: Three bridges fall in Siwan, two in Saran – July 4: Newest event in Saran

Bridges of all shapes and sizes have been impacted by these accidents, ranging from newly built ones to those that date back to the British Empire.

Reasons and Issues

Although authorities are currently looking into the specific reasons of these disasters, a number of variables have been proposed:

1. Recent efforts to desilt some regions
2. Abundant precipitation and elevated river water outflow
3. Low-quality building and inadequate upkeep
4. Potential corruption in the process of building and maintaining

Reaction of the Government

In order to determine which of the state’s historic bridges need immediate repair, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has ordered a survey of them all. Additionally, he has demanded that the departments of rural works and road building adopt better regulations for bridge upkeep.

The Criticism of Opposition

The administration has been under heavy fire from the opposition parties, especially the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), who accuse it of being corrupt and ineffective. Tejashwi Yadav, the leader of the RJD, questioned the Chief Minister’s and Deputy Chief Ministers’ lack of response to the matter.

Court Case

The Bihar government has been ordered by a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the Supreme Court to:

1. Conduct a bridge structural audit
2. Form an expert group to determine whether bridges should be demolished or strengthened.
3. Adhere to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ guidelines for real-time bridge monitoring.

The Effect on Societies

Local communities have been significantly impacted by these bridge collapses:

One bridge collapse in Kisanganj is said to have impacted around 50,000 people. Several villages have been isolated as a result of the loss of vital connection. Local economy are suffering as a result of the disruption of transit routes.

The Direction of Travel

In order to address this infrastructural problem, Bihar has to take the following actions:

1. Careful examination of every breakdown to identify the underlying reasons
2. Repairing and strengthening weak bridges right away
3. Stricter quality control procedures being used to newly constructed projects
4. All bridges should follow routine maintenance and inspection procedures.
5. Openness in the distribution and use of financing for infrastructure initiatives

Bihar’s frequent bridge failures serve as a sobering reminder of how important it is to have reliable infrastructure and capable leadership. The security and welfare of the people must continue to be the state’s primary priorities while it attempts to resolve these issues.