Bihar state in India has witnessed a spate of bridge collapses in the past year, with the most recent being the Bhagalpur-Khagaria bridge. Although it may have gained more attention, this accident is just one in a long list of similar incidents. On May 16, an under-construction road bridge in Purnia district collapsed only four hours after concretisation, with locals alleging the use of faulty materials by the contractor and engineers. On March 19, two people were injured when a British-era road bridge in Saran district crumbled under the weight of an overloaded truck. Notably, despite signs of deterioration, the road construction department had not designated the bridge as dangerous.
February 19 saw the collapse of another under-construction bridge in Patna district, while an iron bridge in Darbhanga district collapsed on January 16 due to an overloaded truck. An under-construction road bridge in Nalanda district collapsed on November 18, 2022, claiming one life, while another section of a bridge collapsed in Saharsa district on June 9, 2022, injuring three labourers.
Finally, a 136-year-old road bridge in Patna collapsed on May 20 due to excessive rain. The death of this historic British-era bridge sparked concern from locals about poor maintenance and the lack of alertness from district officials.
All of these accidents are causes for concern, indicating a significant problem with the state’s infrastructure. The Bihar government is now facing criticism for failing to adequately address these issues and prevent future tragedies.
