Bridge Section Falls in Bihar: Political Leaders React

A section of the under-construction Bakhtiyarpur-Tajpur Bridge near Nandani Lagunia Railway Station in Samastipur, Bihar, reportedly collapsed. Manager Mohan Singh clarified it was a dismantling process, not a collapse.

RJD leader Mrityunjay Tiwari criticized the government’s infrastructure safety, saying, “Crime in Bihar is on the rise. The trend of bridges collapsing in Bihar is continuing. The government is exposed.”

In response, JDU leader Neeraj Kumar defended the administration, highlighting the ongoing construction efforts under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. He stated, “In the tenure of CM Nitish Kumar, bridges are being built on the Ganga approximately every 40 km. Did the Bakhtiyarpur-Tajpur span collapse? When the span casting was not done, how can it collapse? It was a six-year-old beam that had corroded.”

Earlier, in July, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Bihar government on a petition seeking to conduct a structural audit of all existing and under-construction bridges in the state. The court was hearing the petition filed by advocate Brajesh Singh, urging the top court to issue directions to the Bihar government to conduct the highest level of structural audit and to demolish or retrofit weak structures depending on feasibility.