A BRIDGE THAT KEEPS FALLING DOWN

AN UNDER-CONSTRUCTION BRIDGE IN BIHAR COLLAPSING TWICE IN JUST OVER A YEAR IS SYMPTOMATIC OF THE APATHY THAT AFFECTS INFRA PROJECTS IN THE STATE

- AMITABH SRIVASTAVA

IT was a sultry Sunday evening and Ajit Kumar was outside giving his car a wipedown when he heard the deafening crash. He initially thought it was a lightning strike, but then realised it was the under construction Aguwani-Sultanganj bridge. A 575-metre portion of the bridge (Pylons 9 to 13) had crumbled into the Ganga. "The dust from the debris hung over the river for some time. It was scary," recalls Ajit, who owns Hotel Ashoka Garden, which overlooks the Sultanganj Ghat in Bihar's Bhagalpur district.

The 3.16 km long bridge connecting Sultanganj and Aguwani Ghat in Khagaria district, being built by S.P. Singla Construction Private Ltd, has had a jinxed journey so far. The June 4 collapse was the second major accident in just over a year. Earlier, on April 30, 2022, a 162.5 metre stretch of the bridge's extradosed span, involving 19 segments on both sides of Pylon 5, had crashed (see A Bridge Too Far).

Even in a state known for its many bridges, the Aguwani-Sultanganj was supposed to be a standout project. A dream project of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, it included a four-lane road across the Ganga connecting north and south Bihar. Raised on a concrete frame across five sections, the bridge was to connect the Kosi region in the northeast, comprising the districts of Khagaria, Saharsa, Madhepura and Supaul, with the southeast districts of Bhagalpur, Munger and Jamui. The bridge contract was signed in November 2014, with Singla Construction qualifying as the lowest bidder among six candidates. The total cost was set at Rs 1,710.8 crore with the bridge component coming in at Rs 859 crore. The rest of the money was to be used for land acquisition.