Under-construction bridge collapses in Bihar, third one in less than a week

MOTIHARI: A under-construction bridge in Bihar's East Champaran district collapsed on Sunday, marking the third such incident in the state within a week.
The 16-meter-long bridge, over a canal in the Ghorasahan block, was being built by the Rural Works Department (RWD) at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore. There were no reported casualties.
Additional chief secretary of RWD Dipak Kumar Singh stated, "The exact cause of the incident is not yet known.It is a serious matter and a departmental inquiry has been ordered. Strict action will be taken against those found guilty." He further mentioned that senior officers of the district administration had reached the site and a detailed report was awaited.

District magistrate Saurabh Jorwal said that the precise reason for the incident was being investigated. He added, "There are reports that a section of locals initially objected to the construction of certain pillars of the bridge. Police are also looking into this matter."
This incident follows two similar occurrences in the state. On Saturday, a small bridge collapsed in Siwan district, which was constructed over a canal to connect the villages of Daraunda and Maharajganj blocks. Earlier, on Tuesday, a newly built bridge spanning about 180 metres had collapsed in the Araria district.
These recurring mishaps involving bridges of various sizes constructed over rivers and other water bodies in Bihar have raised concerns about the quality of public works in the state. Although no casualties have been reported in these incidents, they have prompted questions about the construction standards and oversight of such projects.