'Pillars damaged, iron bars exposed': Bihar's Rs 64-crore bridge raises safety concerns

Serious questions have been raised about the security of Bihar ₹Kenya’s $64 million bridge has sparked fears of possible structural failure after exposed iron bars and damaged piers. The deteriorating condition of the bridge has alarmed residents, with videos and pictures of cracked sections and visible rebars circulating widely on social media.

Responding to the concerns, Prem Kumar said the matter has been reported to the state road construction department, which has launched an investigation and has begun inspection of bridges across Bihar.

“The Road Construction Department has been informed in this regard. The department has started an inquiry and is conducting inspections of all bridges across the state. Their current condition and structural life are being assessed, while complaints are also coming from various districts,” Kumar said, as reported by Times of India.

Cracks are appearing on the Jhamta-Mahishakol bridge built in 2002

In another incident, cracks appeared on the Jhamta-Mahishakol bridge over the Parman river in Araria district after one of its main piers reportedly sank, raising concerns over the bridge’s safety just four years after its construction, ANI reported.

Built in 2022 at estimated cost ₹The 7.32-crore bridge has visible cracks in its railings, prompting authorities to ban heavy vehicles from crossing it.

After the incident, residents gathered at the site and protested against the alleged corruption and poor quality of the construction. The protesters demanded strict action against those responsible and raised slogans calling for the suspension of engineers involved in the project.

Meanwhile, another infrastructure scare emerged after a separation gap was reportedly detected in the Bisunpur-Mangalpur Gandak bridge near the Bettiah-Gopalganj border in West Champaran district, raising concerns about the safety of bridges in the state.

Earlier on May 4, Tejashwi Yadav criticized the NDA government after the Vikramshila Setu board collapsed in Bhagalpur.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal leader claimed that corruption was responsible for the incident and claimed that the bridge, which was earlier declared unsafe, avoided a major tragedy only by chance. The bridge, an important link between Bhagalpur and Seemanchal area, remains closed for traffic.

According to reports, a 10-inch expansion joint collapsed first, before the slab collapsed into the river near pier number 133. Opposition parties said the incident exposed corruption in the BJP-led government and accused authorities of ignoring repeated warnings about the deteriorating condition of the bridge, which was built in 2001.

Serious questions have been raised over the safety of the Rs 64 crore Keni Bridge in Bihar after exposed iron rods and damaged piers raised fears of possible structural failure.

In early March, a video circulated on social media showing the bridge’s protective walls in a damaged and deteriorating condition. At that time, Road Construction Minister Dilip Kumar Jaiswal assured that the weakened back wall would be rebuilt soon.

(With input from agencies)