Swinging into action after 10 bridges collapsed within a fortnight, the Bihar government has suspended 15 engineers for negligence. Among those who were suspended included 11 from the Water Resources Department and 4 from the Rural Works Department. The government has also sought explanations from two engineers over the matter.
The state government stated that in various districts of Bihar, nine bridges and culverts have collapsed in recent days.
"Out of these, six were very old, while three were under construction. An investigation by the departmental flying squad revealed that the concerned engineers did not take precautionary measures to ensure the safety of the bridges and culverts situated on this river, nor did they conduct proper technical supervision. Additionally, negligence was also observed at the level of the executing contractor," the government said.
Bridge collapses in Bihar
Another bridge collapsed in Bihar's Saran district on Thursday, the 10th such incident in the state in just over a fortnight.
District Magistrate Aman Samir said it was the third bridge collapse in Saran in the last 24 hours. "A high-level probe has been ordered to determine the causes of these small bridge collapses in the district," he said.
The small bridge over Gandaki river was located in Baneyapur block and connected several villages in Saran with the neighboring Siwan district.
"It was constructed 15 years ago. The exact cause of the collapse is yet to be ascertained, but desilting work was recently undertaken," the district magistrate told PTI.
On Wednesday, four small bridges collapsed in Saran and Siwan districts. Locals said heavy rainfall over the last few days might have triggered their fall.
The latest incident took place a day after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar directed the road construction and rural works departments to conduct a survey of all old bridges in the state and identify those that require immediate repair.
The CM had on Wednesday (July 3) chaired a meeting to review the maintenance policies and said the road construction department has already prepared its bridge maintenance policy and the rural works department should immediately chalk out its plan at the earliest.
A total of 10 bridges collapsed in Siwan, Saran, Madhubani, Araria, East Champaran and Kishanganj districts in the past 17 days, officials said.
