Another bridge collapses in Bihar, second within a week
What's the story
A small bridge in Bihar's Siwan district collapsed on Saturday morning, marking the second such incident in less than a week. District Magistrate Mukul Kumar Gupta said the bridge was built over a canal that connects the villages of Daraunda and Maharajganj blocks. Before this incident, a newly constructed 183-meter-long bridge collapsed in the Araria area on Tuesday, forcing the Rural Works Department to take disciplinary action against the officials involved.
Investigation
Bridge collapse: Cause and immediate response
Gupta revealed that the bridge was an old structure and its pillars caved in when water was released through the canal. He assured that efforts are underway to minimize inconvenience to residents until restoration. The bridge, believed to have been built in 1991, was funded by then Maharajganj MLA Uma Shankar Singh's local area development fund.
Twitter Post
Video of the bridge collapse
VIDEO | Bihar: A bridge between Patedha and Garauli villages of Siwan district collapsed earlier today.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 22, 2024
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/pfWpHfCN0y
Injuries
No reports of casualties
In both the bridge collapse incidents, no casualties were reported. However, three engineers from Bihar's rural works department were suspended on Wednesday following the collapse of the bridge in Araria. Additionally, a four-member team was constituted to probe the incident. The 183-meter-long bridge connecting the Sikti and Kursakanta blocks of Araria district was being built over the river Bakra at a cost of ₹12 crore. It was not open to traffic because the approach road had yet to be finished.