[Watch] Under Construction Bridge Collapses In Bihar Before Inauguration

New Delhi: A portion of an under-construction bridge collapsed in Bihar’s Begusarai district on Sunday. However, there were no casualties. 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 Rs 13crore.

Cracks developed in pillar numbers 2 and 3 on Thursday and the movement of vehicles was stopped. “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,” news agency ANI reported quoting officials and adding the inauguration was scheduled after the construction of the metaled approach road.

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 was quoted as saying.

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, Hindustan Times reported.

#WATCH | Bihar: A portion of a bridge that was built across Burhi Gandak River in Sahebpur Kamal, Begusarai collapsed and fell into the river yesterday. The bridge had developed cracks a few days back. Nobody was on the bridge at the time of the incident. pic.twitter.com/zB7L3bAOPA

— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2022