Bhagalpur (Bihar): An under-construction bridge in Bihar's Bhagalpur collapsed on Sunday with the videos capturing the dramatic moment when the huge bridge crumbled like a house of cards into the Ganga river. Thankfully, there have been no reports of casualties thus far. The Aguwani Sultanganj Ganga bridge, with a budget of Rs 1,717 crore, was being constructed in Khagaria, Bihar.
The collapse happened around 6 pm on Sunday, prompting Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to order a thorough investigation into the incident. He has also called for the identification of those responsible for the collapse. The "Pul Nirman Nigam" has been tasked with submitting a report regarding the incident.
According to reports, a section of the bridge, measuring about 3 feet, collapsed into the river Ganga below. The bridge had previously suffered damage due to a storm in April. The middle portion of the bridge was being built over the river Ganges, connecting Khagaria, Aguwani, and Sultanganj. It is worth noting that a part of the bridge had also collapsed two years ago.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticized Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the bridge collapse. BJP leader Amit Malviya questioned whether Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav would step down from their positions as CM and Deputy CM, respectively.
"In 2015, Nitish Kumar inaugurated this bridge, which was supposed to be completed by 2020. This is the second time the bridge has collapsed. Will Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav resign immediately in light of this incident? By doing so, both the uncle and nephew can set an example for the country," Malviya tweeted.
आज बिहार में भागलपुर के सुल्तानगंज और खगड़िया के बीच गंगा नदी पर बन रहा पुल भरभरा कर गिर गया। 2015 में नीतीश कुमार ने इस पुल का उद्घाटन किया था जिसका निर्माण 2020 तक पूरा होना था।
ये पुल दूसरी बार गिरा है। क्या नीतीश कुमार और तेजस्वी यादव इस घटना का संज्ञान लेते हुए तुरंत… pic.twitter.com/A08lE0THbk
">आज बिहार में भागलपुर के सुल्तानगंज और खगड़िया के बीच गंगा नदी पर बन रहा पुल भरभरा कर गिर गया। 2015 में नीतीश कुमार ने इस पुल का उद्घाटन किया था जिसका निर्माण 2020 तक पूरा होना था।
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) June 4, 2023
ये पुल दूसरी बार गिरा है। क्या नीतीश कुमार और तेजस्वी यादव इस घटना का संज्ञान लेते हुए तुरंत… pic.twitter.com/A08lE0THbk
आज बिहार में भागलपुर के सुल्तानगंज और खगड़िया के बीच गंगा नदी पर बन रहा पुल भरभरा कर गिर गया। 2015 में नीतीश कुमार ने इस पुल का उद्घाटन किया था जिसका निर्माण 2020 तक पूरा होना था।
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) June 4, 2023
ये पुल दूसरी बार गिरा है। क्या नीतीश कुमार और तेजस्वी यादव इस घटना का संज्ञान लेते हुए तुरंत… pic.twitter.com/A08lE0THbk
In response to the bridge collapse, Bihar Leader of Opposition Vijay Kumar Sinha criticized the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government. He stated, "There is a tradition of seeking commissions. It is a consequence of his mentality of political instability that there is administrative anarchy and corruption. The system is collapsing, but they are talking about opposition unity."
Prior to this incident, in December 2022, a section of a bridge over the Burhi Gandak river in Bihar's Begusarai collapsed. The bridge had reportedly developed cracks, leading to the collapse of pillars 2 and 3. Additionally, in November, an under-construction bridge in CM Nitish Kumar's Nalanda district collapsed, resulting in the death of one labourer and injury of another. Similar incidents had also occurred in Kishanganj and Saharsa districts before the inauguration of under-construction bridges.
Also read: Chilling moments right before Morbi bridge collapse captured
