The Sultanganj Agwani bridge, which was under-construction in Bihar’s Bhagalpur, collapsed on Sunday evening. This is the second time the bridge, which was being built on the Ganga river at the cost of Rs 1,710 crores, has collapsed.
A purported video of the collapse, recorded by locals shows a part of bridge falling down into the river, and a massive cloud of smoke rising up after it.
#Bihar a portion of under construction bridge over Ganga river collapsed today. The Aguanhighat Sultanganj bridge will connect Khagaria and Bhagalpur districts. pic.twitter.com/7DLTQszso7— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) June 4, 2023
Till now, no casualty has been reported.
The bridge was being constructed by a Haryana based company called SP Singla.
Before this, in April 2022, at least 36 segments of this bridge had collapsed.
Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav called a press conference following the bridge collapse, and said that all segments will be technically analysed to know the right reason behind it.
Tejashwi said that this was the bridge’s second collapse, and after the first one they had called for a full inquiry into the reasons behind it at a review meet in November 2022.
He said that the probe into the collapse is being done by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, IIT Roorkee and NIIT professors to find the technical reason behind the incident.
#WATCH | Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav speaks on the collapse of an under-construction bridge in Bhagalpur which collapsed for the second time. https://t.co/MoeA7wF1nN pic.twitter.com/sgMuTGwaIs— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2023
Tejashwi also shared an IIT Roorkee report after the first collapse, stating that some of the segments should be rebuilt and changed, and how based on this the government decided to remake the structure.
As images of the collapsing portion were beamed on media outlets, state BJP president reacted strongly and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Choudhary said the incident shows that “corruption is rampant” under the rule of the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government.
“Sub-standard materials were used for the construction of the bridge. The CM is least bothered about the development of Bihar…he is busy on his tour. He must resign from his post after this incident.” Notably, one labourer died and another was injured after a portion of an under-construction bridge collapsed in Nalanda district in November last year.
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