Bridge Collapse Highlights Construction Concerns in Bihar

A section of a small under-construction bridge over the Ghoghari river in Bihar's Gopalganj district collapsed, leading to the suspension of three engineers and proceedings against the contractor. According to officials, the bridge, with a budget of Rs 2.87 crore, was nearing completion but came down on February 28. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

The Rural Works Department took swift action by suspending the executive engineer, assistant engineer, and junior engineer, citing dereliction of duty as the cause for their suspension. The department also initiated proceedings to blacklist the contractor responsible for the bridge construction. Gopalganj district magistrate Pawan Kumar Sinha, who inspected the site of the incident, emphasized the need for strict departmental action and pointed out gross negligence on the part of the engineers.

The preliminary investigation uncovered serious breaches in quality management protocols during construction, attributed to both the engineers and the contractor. The collapse of this bridge joins over a dozen similar incidents across Bihar in recent times, underlining persistent concerns about construction standards in the region.