New Delhi: Almost a month after a bridge connecting Gopalganj and East Champaran in Bihar was inaugurated by chief minister Nitish Kumar, a part of it collapsed on Wednesday following heavy rainfall.
Fortunately, there has been no report of any injuries so far.
Work on this 1.4 kilometre Sattarghat Mahasetu bridge on Gandak River had been going on for eight years before it was approved for public use on June 16 this year.
Construction of the bridge was carried out by the Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Limited and Rs 264 crore.
The officials say that the culvert connecting the approach road to the bridge couldn’t withstand the pressure exerted by the rising levels of the river and when water was released from Valmiki Nagar, it got washed away.
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Reports also said that the culvert had been facing erosion for a few days due to the rain.
Opposition leaders have since slammed chief minister Nitish Kumar.
“The Sattarghat bridge of Gopalganj built at a cost of Rs 263.47 crore in 8 years, was inaugurated by Nitish Ji on June 16. Today, 29 days later the bridge collapsed. Beware! If someone terms it corruption by Nitish ji. Rs 263 crore is for just a glimpse. Even their rats consume alcohol worth this amount,” tweeted Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav.
263 करोड़ से 8 साल में बना लेकिन मात्र 29 दिन में ढ़ह गया पुल। संगठित भ्रष्टाचार के भीष्म पितामह नीतीश जी इस पर एक शब्द भी नहीं बोलेंगे और ना ही साइकिल से रेंज रोवर की सवारी कराने वाले भ्रष्टाचारी सहपाठी पथ निर्माण मंत्री को बर्खास्त करेंगे। बिहार में चारों तरफ लूट ही लूट मची है। pic.twitter.com/EIcQYPEHn8
— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) July 16, 2020
Taking a dig at Nitish Kumar, Bihar Congress chief Madan Mohan Jha said, “Now do not accuse the poor rat for this” in reference to a statement made by a minister in Kumar’s cabinet in 2017 in which he blamed ‘rats’ for making holes in the embankments that led to weakening of these structures and allowed river water pass over them, thereby, causing floods in Bihar.
The collapse has led to severe traffic disruption since the bridge was the sole link between Gopalganj and East Champaran.
