4 min readUpdated: Sep 10, 2026 08:43 PM IST
Seven workers were injured after the launching girder machine being used in the construction of a bridge on the four-lane NH-139W under the Bharatmala project collapsed in Vaishali district on Thursday, officials said. They claimed that no deaths had been reported so far, and that there was no indication of structural damage to the bridge itself.
Why it mattersThe incident comes just four months after a portion of a bridge collapsed in Bhagalpur, and two years after 12 such instances were reported over a period of 20 days in the state
An NHAI official said, “The incident occurred during the movement of a launching girder at an under-construction four-lane bridge on the Bakarpur–Manikpur section of NH-139W in Hajipur, due to a technical issue in the launching girder system.”
The incident occurred under Lalganj police station limits in Jalalpur panchayat. According to Vaishali Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shubhank Mishra, the launcher, a machine used to lift and place material over the bridge, suddenly became unbalanced and collapsed.
“Primary investigation suggested that the machine either became unbalanced while carrying the material or developed a technical fault,” Mishra said. Part of the launcher fell, causing some workers to fall and others to become trapped underneath it.
“One worker’s lower leg was completely pinned under the machine and he remained trapped for about one-and-a-half hours. Rescue personnel used a gas cutter to cut through the launcher and extricate him,” the SSP said.
Part of the Vikramshila bridge that collapsed in May
Local residents and employees involved in the bridge construction reportedly began the rescue operation before the injured workers were taken to the Lalganj referral hospital for treatment.
“All seven workers received primary treatment there. Three, including the worker whose leg was trapped, were referred to the Sadar Hospital. Depending on their condition, they may subsequently be shifted to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), if required,” the SSP said.
Mishra said the site had been inspected and that further investigation would establish the sequence of events and the actual cause of the accident. “There are also some safety-related points that have come to light during discussions with local people,” he said, adding that correspondence would be made with the concerned National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) departments.
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Meanwhile, the NHAI official said, “A detailed technical assessment is currently underway to ascertain the circumstances that led to the malfunction. Appropriate action will be taken based on the findings of the assessment. NHAI accords the highest priority to the safety and well-being of workers and all stakeholders associated with the Bakarpur–Manikpur NH-139W Project, as well as all National Highway projects across the country.”
Tejashwi attacks govt
Leader of the Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav alleged that poor construction practices and corruption were responsible for the incident.
In a post on X shortly after the incident, the RJD National Working President said, “There are reports that in Vaishali, another under-construction bridge has collapsed under the weight of corruption, leaving around half-a-dozen workers trapped and injured…”
Yadav further alleged that instances of collapse of bridges in the state were primarily due to the “use of substandard construction material, poor quality, disregard for prescribed standards, irregularities in inspections” and what he described as “the corrupt role of NDA leaders”. He also alleged that “the NDA government would, as expected, attempt to cover up the alleged corruption”.
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Previous cases
The Vaishali incident comes against the backdrop of several bridge and infrastructure-related accidents in Bihar in recent years.
In May, a pillar of the Vikramshila Setu in Bhagalpur suffered a critical structural failure, resulting in a 25-to-30-metre span collapsing into the Ganga.
In another incident last year, in Rohtas district, a ropeway project intended to improve access to Rohtasgarh Fort suffered damage during a load test on December 26.
Bihar also witnessed a series of such instances in 2024, with 12 bridges reported to have collapsed over a period of 20 days.
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Among the most prominent cases was the under-construction Sultanganj-Aguwani Ghat four-lane bridge, which had collapsed on two previous occasions as well.
Part of the Vikramshila bridge that collapsed in May