Bhagalpur bridge collapse: Bihar government seeks clarification from construction company
The Bihar government has reportedly sought clarification from SP Singla Constructions after the Aguwani-Sultanganj bridge under construction on the Ganga River collapsed on Sunday. It also suspended an executive engineer of the Road Construction Department on Monday. Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said he has instructed officials to take strict action against the construction company.
Why does this story matter?
A portion of the bridge, which has so far cost Rs. 1,717 crore, collapsed in April of last year too. The Nitish Kumar-led government has come under fire for alleged corruption, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) taking potshots at Kumar, saying he was busy calling for opposition unity. Notably, the company has received several awards from the central and state governments for "excellence."
Company allegedly used low-grade material
The Bihar State Bridge Construction Corporation has issued a show-cause notice to the company, asking for reasons why it should not be blacklisted. Reportedly, the suspended executive engineer who was tasked with monitoring the construction allegedly failed to check the purported use of low-quality material by the company. The material and design faults are said to have caused the back-to-back collapses within 14 months.
Pillars in deep water at same depth as on banks
Officials said the company piled 150 feet to build a pillar on the banks of the river. But the same measurement was used for 22 pillars in the middle of the river, where the water level is the highest, instead of piling over 200 feet.
Collapse carried out deliberately under experts: Tejashwi Yadav
Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav said the bridge's collapse was carried out deliberately under the supervision of experts. He said after last year's collapse, serious structural defects that were causing the bridge to collapse repeatedly were identified. The four-lane road bridge is planned to connect Sultanganj in Bhagalpur district to Aguwani Ghat in Khagaria district. Kumar laid the foundation stone of the bridge in 2014.
