Bihar: Days after inauguration, part of Rs. 264cr bridge collapses
29 days ago, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated a bridge in Gopalganj. On Wednesday, a part of the structure, built after spending Rs. 264 crore, collapsed due to heavy rains, laying bare the terrible state of affairs in the country. What's more shocking is that it took eight years (work started in April 2012) to complete the 1.4 km-long bridge.
Officials said the approaching road failed to sustain water pressure
The Sattarghat Mahasetu bridge, constructed by the Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Ltd., connects Gopalganj to East Champaran. Officials said the approach road to the structure wasn't able to sustain the pressure, sparked by rising water levels. It got washed away after water was released from Valmiki Nagar, leading to the collapse. No injuries were reported at the time of the press.
Locals suffered, opposition leaders slammed Nitish Kumar
With the collapse of the bridge - it was the major connection between Gopalganj and East Champaran - several areas were cut off and traffic was disrupted. Opposition leaders obviously slammed Kumar. RJD's Tejashwi Yadav underlined that the bridge collapsed in less than a month. "Rs. 263cr is for just a glimpse. Even their rats consume alcohol worth this amount," he tweeted in Hindi.
There is corruption everywhere in Bihar: Yadav
Congress also came down heavily on Kumar
Bihar Congress Chief Dr. Madan Mohan Jha also slammed the state government. He tweeted, "The inauguration of the bridge constructed at a cost of Rs. 263.47 crore on June 16 and its destruction on July 15. Now do not accuse the poor rat for this."
In Bihar, rats are blamed for almost everything
The reference to rats stems from past incidents when Bihar's officials have blamed the rodent for their misadventures. In 2017, a minister blamed rats for digging holes in embankments and weakening structures. According to him, this led to floods in the state. On yet another occasion, cops said rats were responsible after seized liquor bottles went missing from police stations.
Years ago, an under-construction bridge had also collapsed
As it happens, bridge collapses are quite common in Gopalganj. In 2015, two spans of an under-construction bridge across the river Gandak collapsed. Since not many workers weren't present during the time of the incident, injuries were minimum. Only five people were said to have sustained injuries. Nitish Kumar's "impeccable" record with bridges truly speaks volumes about his "dedication" for Bihar's development!
