Samastipur bridge row: Construction firm, Bihar govt say span did not collapse; Opp seeks answers

Patna, Sep 23
The collapse of a section of the under-construction bridge connecting Bakhtiyarpur in Patna district to Tajpur in Samastipur district has sparked a political row in Bihar.

Opposition leaders are criticising the Bihar government over the incident, questioning the quality of construction and seeking accountability.

However, both the construction company officials and the ruling Janata Dal (United) leaders have dismissed these allegations.

The bridge was being constructed over the Nandini Lagunia railway station by the Navyug Engineering Company Ltd and a span that had been installed a few months ago collapsed, leading to an uproar.

Project manager Joseph, attributed the incident to a "technical error" in the alignment of the bridge.

“The collapse was not accidental but a deliberate demolition after the error was identified. This was not an accident. The span has not collapsed on its own,” Joseph said.

Despite these assurances, the Opposition is targeting the Nitish Kumar government, raising concerns over infrastructure safety and project oversight in Bihar.

The ruling JD(U) has supported the construction company’s explanation, attempting to downplay the political criticism.

The Bakhtiyarpur-Tajpur Ganga Mahasetu project that started in 2011 with an initial completion deadline of 2016 at an estimated cost of ₹1600 crore, has faced repeated delays, with new deadlines extended to 2018 and 2020.

Even after a decade, only 55 per cent of the construction is complete.

The collapse of a span of the bridge's approach road has reignited controversy surrounding the bridge, leading to political sparring between Bihar’s ruling JD(U) and Opposition leaders.

Neeraj Kumar, JD(U) MLC and spokesperson, has denied claims that the span collapsed, attributing the incident to necessary technical work.

“The bearings of the bridge had rusted and were being replaced, necessitating the removal of the beam,” Kumar said.

He accused critics of spreading misinformation for political gains, stating that questions raised about the bridge’s quality were "totally wrong and politically motivated."

On the other hand, RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari criticised the Nitish Kumar government, alleging rampant corruption, terming it a part of a series of bridge collapses in Bihar.

“The government’s failure to complete the project on time and the removal of debris at the site highlight the poor quality of construction and rampant corruption,” Tiwari said.