Araria, Bihar: In a tragic incident, a newly constructed bridge in the Sikti block of Araria district collapsed and sank into the river before its inauguration. The bridge, built at the cost of crores, was located at Padariya Ghat on the Bakra river. The accident occurred on Tuesday afternoon at around 2:05 PM.
The 182-meter-long bridge, constructed in three parts, saw two sections along with two pillars submerge into the river, causing a stir in the area. This bridge was erected as a replacement for a previously built bridge whose approach had been cut.
Locals allege that substandard materials were used in its construction, leading to the collapse before it could be inaugurated. The Department had recently initiated efforts to restore the approach path of the bridge, but the accident happened before these efforts could be completed.
Notably, The construction of the 182-meter-long bridge began in 2021 under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Nirman Yojana, initially costing Rs 7.79 crore. Due to changes in the river’s course and the approach road, the cost later escalated to Rs 12 crore.
The project was completed in June 2023, but the bridge remained unused due to the lack of access roads on both sides. Villagers have reported visible cracks in the bridge slab over the past two days, which they believe contributed to the sudden collapse on Tuesday.
The bridge was constructed by contractor Sirajur Rahman from the neighboring district of Kishanganj, under the Central Government’s Rural Works Department.
Local MP Pradeep Kumar Singh and MLA Vijay Kumar Mandal of Araria have called for action against the contractor and the concerned officials. They have demanded strict action against those responsible for the poor construction quality that led to this mishap.
