‘Damaged pillars, exposed iron rods’: ₹64-crore bridge in Bihar raises safety concerns

Serious questions have been raised over the safety of Bihar’s ₹64-crore Keni Bridge after exposed iron rods and damaged pillars sparked fears of a possible structural failure. The bridge’s deteriorating condition has alarmed residents, with videos and images of cracked sections and visible reinforcement bars widely circulating on social media. Watch the video here Responding to the concerns, Prem Kumar said the matter had been reported to the state’s Road Construction Department, which has launched an inquiry and begun inspecting bridges across Bihar. “In this regard, the Road Construction Department has been informed. The department has initiated an inquiry and is conducting inspections of all bridges across the state. Their current condition and structural lifespan are being assessed, while complaints are also being received from various districts,” Kumar said, as reported by the Times of India.

Cracks emerge in 2002-built Jhamta-Mahishakol bridge In another incident, cracks appeared in the Jhamta-Mahishakol bridge over the Parman River in Araria district after one of its main pillars reportedly sank, raising concerns over the bridge’s safety just four years after it was constructed, ANI reported. Built in 2022 at an estimated cost of ₹7.32 crore, the bridge has developed visible cracks in its railings, prompting authorities to ban the movement of heavy vehicles across it. Following the incident, residents gathered at the site and protested against alleged corruption and poor construction quality. Demonstrators demanded strict action against those responsible, raising slogans calling for the suspension of the engineers involved in the project. Meanwhile, another infrastructure scare emerged after a separation gap was reportedly detected in the Bisunpur-Mangalpur Gandak Bridge near the Bettiah-Gopalganj border in West Champaran district, intensifying concerns over bridge safety in the state.

Earlier, on May 4, Tejashwi Yadav criticised the NDA government after a slab of the Vikramshila Setu collapsed in Bhagalpur. The Rashtriya Janata Dal leader alleged that corruption was responsible for the incident and claimed that the bridge, which had previously been declared unsafe, avoided a major tragedy only by chance. The bridge, an important connection between Bhagalpur and the Seemanchal region, remains shut for traffic. According to reports, a 10-inch expansion joint first caved in, following which a slab near pier number 133 collapsed into the river. Opposition parties said the incident exposed corruption within the BJP-led government and accused authorities of ignoring repeated warnings about the deteriorating condition of the bridge, which was built in 2001.

Serious questions have been raised over the safety of Bihar’s ₹64-crore Keni Bridge after exposed iron rods and damaged pillars sparked fears of a possible structural failure. Earlier in March, a video circulated on social media showing the bridge’s protection walls in a damaged and deteriorating condition. At the time, then Road Construction Minister Dilip Kumar Jaiswal had assured that the weakened backwall would be rebuilt soon.