'Audit All Bridges In Bihar': PIL Filed In Supreme Court After 9 Bridges Collapsed In State Within 2 Weeks

A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a structural audit of all bridges in Bihar following reports of collapse of nine bridges in last two weeks

Nine bridges collapsed in the last 15 days in Bihar. (Image: PTI)

A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a structural audit of all bridges in Bihar following reports of collapse of nine bridges in last two weeks. The plea seeks direction to Bihar government to conduct highest level structural audit of all existing bridges and under construction bridges and to demolish weak structure.

Nine bridges collapsed in the last 15 days in Bihar, according to media reports. The PIL prays for constituion of a high level expert committee to examine all bridges.

The  petition seeks a direction from the top court to Bihar government to conduct advanced structural audit of all existing bridges and under construction bridges.

The PIL comes after three more bridges collapsed on Wednesday. Out of these three, two reportedly collapsed in Siwan and one in Saran district. On Wednesday, the Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar held a review meeting with officials of the concerned department and directed them to take appropriate measures for the maintenance of bridges.

Earlier, the Bihar rural works department minister Ashok Chaudhary announced the setting up of a three-member committee to investigate the collapse of bridges in Bihar.

Bihar has been witness to several mishaps involving bridges, large and small, constructed over rivers and other water bodies. 

On June 23, an under-construction bridge collapsed in East Champaran district of Bihar. The 16-metre-long bridge was being built over a canal in Ghorasahan block in Motihari by the state's Rural Works Department (RWD) to connect Amwa village to other areas of the block. The bridge was built at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore. No injuries or casualties was reported in the incident. 

Prior to that, a newly constructed bridge, about 180 metres long, collapsed at Sikti in Araria district.

Another bridge collapsed in the Darounda area of Siwan. The small bridge, built over a canal, connected the villages of Daraunda and Maharajganj blocks.