The alarming chain of bridge collapses in Bihar shows no signs of stopping. One after another, bridges are tumbling down. Most recently, a bridge connecting the Daronda Assembly area has crumbled. Despite no rainfall, storm, or strong winds, the structure gave way. Footage of the incident is now public.
Specifically, the bridge connected the areas of Patedhi and Garouli over a canal and had been around for about 30 years, reportedly constructed by local villagers raising funds themselves. The bridge collapsed like a house of cards around five in the morning, shortly after the canal was cleaned.
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Less than a week prior, a similar event occurred in Siwan district where a small bridge fell. District Magistrate Mukul Kumar Gupta reported that the bridge was situated over a canal connecting villages in the Daronda and Maharajganj blocks and collapsed around 5 a.m., thankfully without casualties. Apparently, the pillars gave way after water was released into the canal. Efforts are underway to minimize inconvenience to the public.
Daronda's Block Development Officer, Surya Pratap Singh, mentioned that locals claim the bridge was erected in 1991 with contributions from the then MLA of Maharajganj, Uma Shankar Singh. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Maharajganj, Anil Kumar, said the 20-foot bridge was funded by the legislator's fund and that further action will be taken based on the investigation report.
Villagers said that they'd advised against soil excavation near the bridge during cleaning operations, but contractors ignored the warnings. They performed excavation anyway, and as a result, the bridge collapsed under the water's force. Fortunately, there was no loss of life, but the Patedhi-Garouli connection has now been severed, causing hardships for commuters.
Locals claim authorities failed to respond despite warnings
The crucial question now is how people will cross the canal. Villagers informed the authorities about the bridge collapse. It fell at five in the morning, and it took five to six hours before a supervisor arrived at the scene. The supervisor stated that they had just received the news and rushed to assess the situation.
Local residents allege that despite the bridge collapsing at 5 a.m., no official has arrived at the scene yet. According to them, the contractor's soil excavation led to the collapse. Meanwhile, the contractor insists it was due to the water current, not the excavation. The focus now shifts to when and how the Patedhi-Garouli bridge will be reconstructed.
Last Tuesday, a newly constructed bridge in Araria fell prior to its inauguration
Before this, on the past Tuesday, a newly constructed bridge of approximately 180 meters in length over the Bakra River in Araria collapsed. Set to be inaugurated, the bridge came crashing down unexpectedly. The structure, costing around 12 crores, was prepared by the Rural Works Department of the district, with its pillars founded on land. The approach road wasn't completed either. The nearly 100-meter bridge had not yet been inaugurated or fully completed.
