A bridge under construction collapsed in India, once again raising concerns about the safety of infrastructure in the country.
The incident occurred last Sunday in Bhagalpur, Bihar, where the Aguwani Sultanganj Ganges bridge collapsed in two parts, falling into the Ganges river below.
This bridge, already damaged by a storm in April 2022, cost over 1,700 crore (about 16 million euro) and is intended to connect Khagaria, Aguwani and Sultanganj.
No casualties have been reported, but these collapses keep happening in Bihar (India), raising questions about the quality of the infrastructure and the safety of people. In response to the collapse, the Bihar Chief Minister appointed a commission of enquiry.
A shocking incident occurred last Sunday, 4 June. A bridge under construction in Bhagalpur, Bihar (India), collapsed in two parts, captured on camera. According to reports, almost 30 metres of the bridge that had been built to connect the districts of Khagaria and Bhagalpur collapsed into the river for the second time. The Aguwani Sultanganj Ganges bridge, with a staggering cost of over 1,700 crore (about 16 million Euro), seems to be Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's dream project.
According to reports in India Today, a significant part of the bridge fell into the river Ganges.This bridge, which connects Khagaria, Aguwani and Sultanganj, had suffered a partial collapse two years ago. And the same bridge had already suffered storm damage in April 2022.
No casualties were reported after a section of the Aguwani-Sultanganj bridge, which connects Bhagalpur with Khagaria district, collapsed into the Ganges river. The accident occurred when several pillars of the bridge under construction gave way, according to an official statement.
In response to the collapse, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar instructed the Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Building Construction, Pratyaya Amrit, to form a commission of enquiry. Meanwhile, criticism quickly emerged in response to the bridge collapse, with Bihar LoP Vijay Kumar Sinha blaming the Nitish Kumar-led government.
This incident adds to a series of bridge failures in Bihar, raising concerns about the safety and quality of infrastructure in the state. In December 2022, a bridge over the Burhi Gandak river in Begusarai collapsed due to cracks and falling pillars. Another bridge collapse occurred in Nalanda district in November, resulting in the death of one worker and the injury of another. In addition, bridges under construction in Kishanganj and Saharsa districts collapsed even before their inauguration, showing a worrying trend.