Bihar bridge construction body issues ‘explanation’ after structure suffers 3rd collapse in 2 yrs

Patna, Aug 17 (IANS) Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Limited (BRPNNL) on Saturday issued a clarification regarding the under-construction Aguwani Ghat bridge, saying that the portion of the bridge which has collapsed had been previously identified as “damaged” and was already in the process of “demolition”.

BRPNNL, the bridge construction body, said that the first damage occurred on April 30, 2022, during the construction of the extra-dosed segment of the bridge.

“The faulty design of the bridge was reviewed by experts from IIT Roorkee, leading to instructions for the damaged portion to be demolished and removed. The foundation and sub-structure of the bridge were also subjected to further examination,” BRPNNL said.

BRPNNL said that despite these measures, another part of the bridge, constructed using the same technology, was damaged on June 4, 2023.

“After the faulty design was confirmed, all construction work on the bridge was immediately halted and the contractor was instructed to remove the problematic sections,” the bridge construction body said.

It also clarified that the remaining portion of the previously damaged segment, which was still in the process of being dismantled, collapsed again due to the rise in the water level and the strong flow of the Ganga River.

“This marked the third instance of damage to the bridge on Saturday,” BRPNNL said.

The Patna High Court had also ordered that the work on this section be redone entirely at the contractor’s expense. BRPNNL mentioned that the redesign of this segment is currently underway, and once approved, the construction will restart.

The collapsed structure is a 2×2 lane high-level RCC bridge being built over the Ganga River, connecting Agwani Ghat in Khagaria district and Sultanganj in Bhagalpur district.

The project was awarded under the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC), mode with the contractor bearing responsibility for the bridge’s design.

However, the bridge has now collapsed three times in the past two years, raising serious concerns about construction quality and oversight.

Sanjeev Kumar, a JD-U MLA representing the Parbatta Assembly constituency – which includes Agwani Ghat – expressed grave concerns about the bridge’s construction quality.

“I previously raised these issues in the Assembly and also met Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The repeated collapses over the last two years are a matter of serious concern and reflect poorly on the state’s infrastructure management,” Kumar said.

The incident has intensified criticism of the Nitish Kumar government, with opposition leaders, including Tejashwi Yadav, seizing the opportunity to highlight failures and corruption within the system.

Sanjeev Kumar’s criticism from within the ruling party underscores the growing dissatisfaction and highlights the severity of the situation.

–IANS

ajk/dan