Bihar: Section of bridge over Ganga collapses again

In a huge embarrassment for the chief minister Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government on Saturday, 17 August a section of the superstructure of the under construction Sultanganj-Aguwani Ghat bridge collapsed and fell into the Ganga River yet again.

Although no injuries were reported in the latest incident involving the bridge that has been nine years in the making, but the repeated collapses of various sections of the bridge raise serious questions about the quality of construction and the alignment of the project.

This latest collapse of the Sultanganj-Aguwani Ghat road bridge has intensified concerns, especially since the construction company responsible for the project SK Singla Construction Pvt. Ltd, has not yet provided any clarification regarding the incident.

Eyewitnesses at the construction site captured the collapse on camera and these videos were quickly shared on social media platforms.

This bridge, envisioned as a key infrastructure project by chief minister Nitish Kumar, was intended to connect Sultanganj in Bhagalpur District with Aguani Ghat in Khagaria District, facilitating easier travel from Bhagalpur to Jharkhand via Khagaria.

It was also expected to alleviate traffic congestion on the Vikramshila Bridge, a critical link in the region.

However, the repeated collapses — this being the third incident, with a previous collapse on 4 June, 2023 —highlight significant flaws and poor quality of construction.

The earlier collapse between pillar numbers 10 and 12 on the Khagaria side led to widespread criticism of the Bihar government. In response, the government penalised SK Singla Construction Pvt. Ltd., and mandated that the bridge be rebuilt at the company's expense.

Notably, another section of the bridge on the Bhagalpur side collapsed on 30 June, 2022, when the superstructure between pillar numbers 5 and 6 fell into the Ganga River.

The most recent collapse on Saturday, 17 August involved the superstructure made of iron angles, which also plunged into the river.

Experts have pointed to misalignment issues as a likely cause for these repeated failures.

The foundation stone for the 3.16 km bridge was laid on February 23, 2014, with construction beginning on 9 March, 2015.

The Bihar government allocated Rs 1,710 crore to the project, highlighting its significance as a major infrastructure initiative.

Despite this, after nearly nine years in the making, the bridge remains incomplete.

The Bihar government's road construction department has managed to build a 16 km approach road from the Khagaria side and a 4 km approach road from the Bhagalpur side, but the main structure of the bridge remains unfinished.

This long delay, combined with the repeated structural failures, has cast a shadow over the project's execution and the quality of work by SK Singla Construction Pvt. Ltd. The situation calls for an urgent review and corrective measures to ensure that the bridge, once completed, is safe and reliable for public use.