Month after inauguration by Nitish Kumar, Rs 263 crore bridge collapses in Bihar

A month after being inaugurated by the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, a portion of Sattarghat Bridge in Bihar's Gopalganj, constructed at a cost of Rs 263.48 crore, collapsed on Wednesday after water flow increased in Gandak River due to heavy rainfall.

The bridge was inaugurated by the Nitish on June 16.

Many districts in north Bihar have lost connectivity as the bridge has been washed away. At the same time, the pressure of water has also increased at the Saran embankment and if the situation remains the same then Saran district will also be affected by floods.

Administration officials took stock of the situation on Wednesday evening. The team of engineer Abhay Kumar Prabhat, team leader of the bridge corporation, reached and assessed the damage.

The bridge, constructed at a cost of Rs 263.48 crore, aimed to reduce road distance between different towns of East Champaran to Gopalganj, Siwan and Saran districts.

Bihar Road Construction Minister Nand Kishore Yadav claimed that incidents like washing away of roads and collapse of bridges happen in Bihar due to heavy rain. 

He claimed the approach slab that has collapsed is two kilometres away from the main Sattarghat Bridge and no damage has been caused to any bridge. 

"The approach slab that has collapsed is two kilometres away from the main Sattarghat Bridge, no damages have been caused to any bridge. Just the approach slab of a minor bridge has collapsed," said Yadav.

बिहार में सड़कें और पुल बहना आम बात है: नंद किशोर यादव (पथ निर्माण मंत्री, बिहार सरकार) pic.twitter.com/P8MKtkUl3K

— Utkarsh Singh (@UtkarshSingh_) July 16, 2020

Opposition leaders and public alike slammed the state government over the collapse of the bridge.

पिछले महीने 16 जून को माननीय मुख्यमंत्री बिहार ने इसी पुल का उदघाटन किया था। यह पुल गोपालगंज में आठ सालों में बन कर तैयार हुआ था। कुल 263.47 करोड़ ₹ ख़र्च हुए।

पुल बारिश ने गिराया है, भ्रष्टाचार ने नहीं। ख़बरदार जो मोदी समर्थित नीतीश सरकार को कुछ कहा!!! pic.twitter.com/pPpeNPNY3A

— Avinash Das (@avinashonly) July 16, 2020

Bridge collapsed in Gopalganj, Bihar

Inaugurated on : 16 Jun 2020
Collapsed on : 15 July 2020
Cost : Rs 264 Cr

~ Most greedy nd dumb leaders
live in #Bihar pic.twitter.com/u6kEjKgrgF

— Ankita Nath (@BeingBefikr) July 16, 2020

#नीतीश_कुमार_ग़ायब_हैं
This bridge in Gopalganj, Bihar constructed at a cost of Rs 264 crore collapsed 29 days after its inauguration. pic.twitter.com/KOoHOQIubA

— Siddharth Abhishek (@SiddharthAbhis5) July 16, 2020

Bihar bridge collapses within 1 month of opening.

I hope everybody involved got their entitled kickbacks...that is what counts more than whether the bridge crumpled under the weight of project boondoggling.

Compliments to @NitishKumar and @BiharGovt #नीतीश_कुमार_ग़ायब_हैं

— tusharkumar (@tushark65685512) July 16, 2020

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav sought answers from the chief minister. 

"The bridge washed away after around 29 days of inauguration. The bridge was being constructed for eight years. Washing away of bridges has become a common thing in Nitish Kumar`s rule. Did he inaugurate the bridge before time just to gain some appreciation? We demand that the Bihar government should immediately blacklist the company that has constructed the bridge," said Yadav.

"A dam collapsed in Kahalgaon on the day of the inauguration...even rats damage the bridges in Bihar. How will the money be recovered if the bridges keep on collapsing? The Chief Minister committed 55 scams in 15 years. By paying money in RCP tax, as long as transfer posting takes place, the bridge will keep collapsing," he alleged.

In 2017, a minister in Nitish Kumar`s cabinet had blamed rats for making holes in the embankments for weakening the structures and allowing river water breach through them, thus resulting in floods in Bihar.

Yadav added that that the Chief Minister should give an answer to the public and media. 

"In Bihar, 16,000 rape cases have been reported in 15 years. Women and girls are being raped amid the lockdown. Around 1,900 rape cases were reported in 2019. Where is good governance? Rapes are taking place in isolation wards, Nitish`s conscience has drowned in the Bay of Bengal," said Yadav.

(With ANI inputs)