Bihar: Rs 13 Crore Bridge In Begusarai Collapses Before Inauguration. WATCH

A video of the bridge collapse incident, which happened on Sunday, has gone viral on social media.

A portion of a bridge built across Burhi Gandak river in Sahebpur Kamal collapsed

Source : ANI

A portion of an under-construction bridge has collapsed in Bihar's Begusarai district and fell into the Burhi Gandak river. However, there were no casualties, ANI reported. A video of the bridge collapse incident, which happened on Sunday in Sahebpur Kamal, has gone viral on social media.

Begusarai district magistrate said the bridge was temporarily shut for use. Images showed broken parts of the bridge between two pillars, submerged in the river.

"A portion of a bridge built across Burhi Gandak river in Sahebpur Kamal, Begusarai, collapsed and fell into the river after it had developed cracks a few days ago. The bridge was temporarily shut for use. We are assessing the reason behind bridge collapse," ANI quoted DM Begusarai as saying.

The 206-meter-long bridge is being built by Ma Bhagwati Construction under the Chief Minister NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) scheme at an approximate cost of  Rs 13crore, a report in Hindustan Times said.

The construction work of the bridge was started in February 2016 and it was completed in August 2017. But, the bridge was not inaugurated due to lack of an approach road. However, light vehicles were plying on it.

Cracks developed in pillar numbers 2 and 3 on Thursday and movement of vehicles were stopped, the HT reported said.

"Though the bridge was not inaugurated, light traffic was continuing as the bridge links three panchayats with a combined population of around 20,000 to NH-31," officials told HT.

In July 2020, a portion of a 9.1 km bridge in Sattarghat constructed at the cost of Rs 263.47 crore in Gopalganj district collapsed after 29 days of its inauguration by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Local villagers have alleged that substandard material was used in the construction of the bridge, resulting in the collapse of the structure, a report in TOI said.

"The collapse of the bridge will badly hit access to health and educational services to about 20,000 villagers in the region," a villager told TOI.

The development comes weeks after more than 135 people were killed when a suspension bridge collapsed in Gujarat's Morbi district. The bridge crashed just days after it reopened to the public following seven months of repair and renovation.