In a shocking turn of events, a 200-meter section of the Aguwani-Sultanganj bridge in Bhagalpur, Bihar, crumbled into the river on June 4, setting off a chain reaction of concerns about construction standards and igniting political unrest.
As the news spread, Bihar’s Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, wasted no time in instructing authorities to investigate the issue of “poor quality of work” and take appropriate actions. However, in a surprising twist, Tejashwi Yadav, the Deputy Chief Minister, and Pratyay Amrit, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Road Construction Department, claimed that certain portions of the bridge were intentionally demolished. According to reports from PTI, the state government promptly issued a show cause notice to the construction firm responsible for the bridge, while also suspending the involved executive engineer. The spotlight fell on SP Singla Constructions Pvt Ltd, the company entrusted with the project, which interestingly has also been associated with major ventures in Gujarat.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar openly criticized the “poor quality of work” as the cause of the bridge collapse, stating that he had previously urged authorities to investigate the matter seriously after a partial collapse of the superstructure last year. He emphasized the urgency of completing the work promptly and ensuring proper construction, underscoring the delayed timeline of the project that was supposed to commence in 2012 but was only commissioned in 2014.
However, the Bihar government contested the Chief Minister’s stance, asserting that the collapsed section was intentionally dismantled due to design flaws highlighted by experts. Tejashwi Yadav, in a press conference, recalled the previous partial collapse on April 30 the previous year and revealed that they had sought the expertise of IIT-Roorkee to conduct a comprehensive study. Additional Chief Secretary Pratyay Amrit added that, considering the gravity of the situation, they chose to err on the side of caution and commence the removal of certain bridge components as a preventive measure.
Contradicting these claims, a senior official in the Bhagalpur administration emphasized that any planned dismantling operation would require prior notification to the local authorities, including the police, and the river should have been cordoned off. Shockingly, just moments before the collapse, a boat had even passed beneath the bridge, raising serious questions about the alleged deliberate demolition.
Furthermore, officials pointed out that such an official undertaking would necessitate the construction company obtaining a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the authorities responsible for a nearby dolphin sanctuary, as the bridge stands within its jurisdiction.
This mysterious bridge collapse in Bihar has not only cast doubts on the integrity of construction practices but has also ignited a fierce political battle. As investigations continue, the true cause of the collapse remains shrouded in uncertainty, leaving the community in shock and seeking answers that will bring justice and accountability to light.
