'Not Constructed Correctly, Action Will Be Taken': Bihar CM Nitish Kumar On Bhagalpur Bridge Collapse

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar assured that the state government will look into the matter and strict action will be taken.

File photo of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ( Image Source :PTI )

New Delhi: A day after an under-construction bridge over the river Ganga collapsed in Bhagalpur, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said that the bridge was not constructed properly, as it had collapsed "last year" also. He assured that the state government will look into the matter and strict action will be taken.

Speaking to media persons, CM Nitish Kumar said, "The bridge that collapsed yesterday had collapsed last year also. I have instructed officials to take strict action. It is not being constructed correctly that's why it is collapsing again & again. The department will look into it & action will be taken."

#WATCH | The bridge that collapsed yesterday had collapsed last year also. I have instructed officials to take strict action. It is not being constructed correctly that's why it is collapsing again & again. The department will look into it & action will be taken: Bihar CM Nitish… pic.twitter.com/Y8m5Zo5Kka

— ANI (@ANI) June 5, 2023

Speaking on the deadly triple train accident in Odisha's Balasore that claimed 275 lives and injured several others, he said, "A train accident took place in West Bengal when I was the Railway Minister. I immediately asked the then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee to accept my resignation. Earlier the Railway budget was presented separately but this new government has abolished the separate Railway budget... I will not comment if Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw should resign or not."

Earlier on Sunday, an under-construction bridge over the Ganga river collapsed in Bihar, portions of which were deliberately destroyed in a planned fashion under expert advice as it had design flaws, claimed state government officials. The bridge was supposed to connect Khagaria district with Bhagalpur.

The moment when the bridge collapsed in the Ganga River was caught on video by locals.

#WATCH | Under construction Aguwani-Sultanganj bridge in Bihar’s Bhagalpur collapses. The moment when bridge collapsed was caught on video by locals. This is the second time the bridge has collapsed. Further details awaited.

(Source: Video shot by locals) pic.twitter.com/a44D2RVQQO

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2023

Soon after the collapse of the bridge, CM Nitish Kumar ordered a probe into the collapse and asked the officials to identify those responsible for the incident.

Images of the mishap that took place in Khagaria evoked immediate criticisms from the opposition, prompting Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and Additional Chief Secretary of Road Construction Department, Pratyay Amrit, to hold a hurried press conference.

“It may be recalled that a portion of this bridge had collapsed on April 30 last year. We had, thereafter, approached IIT-Roorkee, which is esteemed for its expertise in construction matters, to conduct a study. It is yet to come up with a final report but experts who had studied the structure had informed us that there were serious defects,” Yadav said at the press conference, reported PTI.

As images of the collapsing portion were beamed on media outlets, the state BJP president reacted strongly and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Choudhary said the incident shows that “corruption is rampant” under the rule of the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government.