A bridge under construction in Bihar’s Madhubani district collapsed on Friday, marking the fifth such incident in a series of bridge collapses over the past nine days. The 75-meter long bridge, being constructed at a cost of ₹3 crore, was being built by the Rural Works Department of Bihar since 2021. The bridge, located on the Bhootahi river between Madhubani and Supaul districts, collapsed due to rising water levels.
Tejashwi Yadav, the leader of the opposition in Bihar, took to X to express his concern about the recurring bridge collapses. He questioned the authorities about their investigations into these incidents and the measures being taken to prevent further collapses.
A 25-meter long pillar of the bridge crashed into the river as the water levels rose. Fallen pillars and tarpaulin sheets were seen at the site, indicating the extent of the collapse. Sources in the Rural Works Department confirmed that one of the pillars had been washed away a few days prior to the incident. The department has instructed the contractor to repair the structure as soon as possible.
The District Magistrate, Tushar Singla, attributed the collapse to the sudden rise in water levels caused by heavy rainfall in the catchment areas in Nepal, which are adjacent to the Kishanganj border. The strong currents overwhelmed the bridge, causing one of the pillars to fall and triggering the collapse.
This incident comes amidst a string of bridge collapses in Bihar over the past two years. Since June 19, several bridges have collapsed in Araria, Siwan, and Motihari (East Champaran) districts. These recurring incidents have raised serious concerns about the quality of infrastructure projects in the state and the effectiveness of safety measures implemented by the authorities.
