Newly built 182-metre bridge collapses ahead of inauguration in Bihar’s Araria

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has sought a report on the incident.

A bridge collapses into the Bakra river at Padkiya Ghat, in the Sikti block area of Araria, Bihar. (PTi)

A major portion of a 182-metre bridge at Sikti in Bihar’s Araria district collapsed on Tuesday afternoon.

The bridge over Bakra river was built by private contractors at a cost of Rs 12 crore under the PM Gramin Sadak scheme. Initially estimated to cost Rs 7.79 crore, the construction started in April 2021 and was completed in June 2023. It was to be inaugurated soon after the construction of approach roads on either side of the bridge.

Local authorities suspected that recent digging near two pillars of the bridge to allow smooth flow of water might have weakened the pillars, causing the collapse. The bridge had a total of 16 pillars.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has sought a report on the incident.

Bihar has also seen other bridge collapses in recent years.

On March 22, one labourer was killed and eight people were injured after three slabs of an under-construction bridge in Supaul over Kosi river collapsed. The 10.5-km bridge was inaugurated in 2014.

In June, 2023, a 200-metre stretch of the Aguani-Sultanganj bridge over the river Ganga caved in after three pillars supporting it collapsed. Passengers crossing through the under-construction structure had a narrow escape. No casualty was reported.

Santosh Singh

Santosh Singh is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express since June 2008. Expertise He covers Bihar with main focus on politics, society and governance. Investigative and explanatory stories are also his forte. Singh has 25 years of experience in print journalism covering Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. ... Read More

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