A portion of an under-construction bridge collapsed in Bihar’s Begusarai district on Sunday, however, there were no casualties, officials said.
According to officials, the 206-meter-long bridge over the Burhi Gandak river, located near Sahebpur Kamal, is being built by Ma Bhagwati Construction, Begusarai, under the state government’s road construction department (RCD) at an approximate cost of ₹13crore.
Reports said cracks developed in pillar numbers 2 and 3 on Thursday and movement of vehicles were stopped.
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“Though the bridge was not inaugurated, light traffic was continuing as the bridge links three panchayats with a combined population of around 20,000 to NH-31,” officials said adding the inauguration was scheduled after the construction of metaled approach road.
“Casualties and damage to property would have been great if traffic was not strictly prohibited”, locals alleged.
Traffic was prohibited after cracks developed in pillars.
Ballia sub-divisional officer (SDO) Rohit Kumar said investigations have started to probe the incident.
“The bridge was not officially inaugurated as the approach road was incomplete and traffic was strictly prohibited since Thursday after cracks were seen in pillars and hence there was no casualty,” the SDO said.
According to reports, the concrete bridge was started in 2016 and since 2017, it started functioning without being inaugurated and villagers were walking across the bridge and even light vehicles were plying on it.
Expressing shock over the incident, a local public representative said, “We raised our voice against the sub-standard materials being used in the construction but no one listened. It’s a matter of grave concern that the bridge could not last even for five years. We demand a high-level probe into the matter.”
An engineer with RCD without disclosing his identity declared the incident as a major accident.
“Caving of an under-construction bridge is a major technical lapse,” he said.
