The state of Bihar has remained in news for not so healthy reasons this year. First its Chief Minister Nitish Kumar made headlines by hobnobbing with INDIA Alliance partners before Lok Sabha polls and post poll switched on to the ruling side lending support to form government. And now, a rally of bridge collapses exposing the loopholes in official work and extent of corruption in infrastructure development of state.
Once again on Thursday, a bridge being constructed over the Ganga at Bakia Sukhay in Bihar’s Katihar district collapsed, reports revealed. To be precise, this collapse is the 14th in succession of instance of bridge collapse in the State since June. The bridge was being constructed at a cost of Rs 3 crore by the Rural Works Department and was expected to be inaugurated soon. This project was to be completed in 2023 but its deadline was revised to July 2024.
The incident comes at a time when a bridge in Araria district became a laughing stock for the state government after it was found constructed in the middle of an open field with no road connectivity on either of its side.
The construction was part of a 3 kilometre-long road and bridge project in Parmanandpur village under the Chief Minister Gramin Sadak scheme.
As per locals residents a dead river in the area, which became a problem in the rainy season and remains dry the rest of the year, was the reason behind construction of the bridge. The road and bridge project was supposed to connect the villagers during the rainy season.
The piece of land where the bridge stands was acquired by the administration but acquisition of the rest of the area was incomplete.However, the administration went ahead and built the bridge with no approach road on either of its side.
As per village residents, they were happy that the bridge was being constructed as the sane would lead to subsequent construction of a road, along with the bridge.
Reacting to the development, Araria District Magistrate Inayat Khan said the issue had come to his notice and that a report had been sought from executive engineer concerned in this regard. He said post enquiry, the guilty would be punished.
“In the event of non-availability of land, how this plan was formatted, all the matters are being investigated. Necessary action will be taken,” Khan said
In July, the state government suspended 15 engineers after 12 bridges collapsed in over two weeks. Nitish Kumar-led state government also ordered the reconstruction of the new bridges.
As per reports, the cost of the construction will be imposed on the contractors found guilty. The decision was taken after flying squads submitted their reports, pointing out that engineers were negligent and monitoring was ineffective as the main reasons behind the collapse of the bridges.
Additional Chief Secretary of the State Water Resources Department, Chaitanya Prasad, accused the engineers of not taking proper care and highlighted the lack of diligence of contractors behind the incidents.
Talking to media persons Prasad had stated that the collapses were a result of lack of proper attention paid by engineers on construction work besides contractors were not diligent either.
