Total Length 182m · Construction Cost 120 Million Rupees
"Rural Development Department's Poor Management" VS "Construction Company's Fault"
A bridge built at a cost of 2 billion won in India collapsed just before its opening.
According to local media such as India Express on the 22nd (local time), on the 18th, a bridge over the Barkra (Bark) River in Araria, Bihar state in northeastern India, collapsed after failing to withstand the strong currents.
Videos taken by residents and posted on local media and X (formerly Twitter) show the swollen river from heavy rain hitting the bridge, with the piers gradually sinking under the pressure of the water, causing the entire bridge to tilt and shatter into pieces.
The collapsed bridge was 182 meters long and cost 120 million rupees (approximately 2 billion won) to build. The initial estimated construction cost was 71.2 million rupees (about 1.2 billion won), but expenses increased during construction.
A private construction company was in charge of the project, which began in April 2021, and the bridge construction was completed last year. It was scheduled to open once the connecting roads on both sides of the bridge were finished.
No casualties were reported, but suspicions of poor construction have arisen as the expensive bridge collapsed helplessly due to flooding.
Residents claim the accident was caused by negligence from the construction company and supervisory departments, demanding accountability, while the authorities are shifting blame among themselves, leading to internal disputes.
India’s Minister of Transport, Nitin Gadkari, stated, "The problem was that the bridge was not constructed under the supervision of the responsible ministry but was managed by the state’s Rural Development Department," pointing to the local government’s responsibility. Vijay Kumar, a member of parliament from Araria, blamed the construction company, saying, "The accident occurred due to the negligence of the construction company owner."
Local authorities believe that recent excavation near two of the bridge’s 16 piers to facilitate water flow was the cause of the collapse.
In Bihar state, a bridge over the Kosi River in Supaul district also collapsed in March, resulting in one death and ten injuries.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
