• Source:JND
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Bihar Bridge Collapse: Bihar has experienced its 10th bridge collapse in just over two weeks, officials reported on Thursday. The latest incident occurred in Saran, where a 15-year-old bridge over the Gandaki river, connecting several villages in Saran with Siwan district, collapsed. This follows two other bridge collapses in Saran within the last 24 hours, one in Janta Bazar and another in Lahladpur. Although no casualties were reported, these incidents have heightened concerns about the structural integrity of the state's older bridges. 

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday for their silence regarding the frequent bridge collapses in the state. Yadav accused both leaders of ignoring the issue and took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his frustration. In Hindi, he sarcastically stated, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar are completely silent and speechless on these achievements. They are thinking about how to convert this auspicious corruption into Jungle Raj?”

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, however, has responded immediately, directing the Road Construction Department (RCD) and Rural Works Department (RWD) to immediately conduct a survey of all old bridges in the state and identify those requiring urgent repairs.

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According to Chaitanya Prasad, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Water Resources Department, the collapsed structures were "very old" and did not appear to have been constructed following the required parameters. "It also appears that the foundation was not deep enough, a reason why these structures got damaged during floods," the statement said.

The collapse of the bridges has disrupted connectivity and caused inconvenience to the local population. In Siwan district, a portion of a small bridge over the Gandaki river in Deoria block collapsed in the early morning, while another small bridge in Teghra block met the same fate later in the day. In Saran district, two more small bridges, one of which was 100 years old, also collapsed.

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Addressing the issue, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has directed the RWD and RCD to immediately develop a comprehensive plan for the maintenance of all old bridges in the state. He mentioned the need for the RCD to finalise its bridge maintenance policy, while the RWD should also chalk out its own plan at the earliest.

The collapse of these bridges has sparked concerns about the state of infrastructure in Bihar, with critics questioning the government's priorities and the level of investment in maintaining critical assets. The RJD leader, Tejashwi Yadav, has alleged that the issue is a reflection of corruption and a lack of governance, particularly since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is a part of the ruling coalition.

(With PTI Inputs)