In a shocking development, a section of an 80-meter-long bridge under construction across the Magai River, undertaken by Setu Nigam, collapsed due to a beam failure. This bridge project was being constructed at a cost exceeding Rs 8 crore and aimed to connect Katharia and Firozpur.
A three-member team has been assembled to conduct an investigation and deliver a report within three days, assuring that there have been no casualties thus far.
Bridge being built at cost of Rs 8 crore 15 lakh
District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar of Ballia explained, “An 80-meter long bridge was being constructed on the Magai river at a cost of Rs 8 crore 15 lakh. Yesterday because of the breaking of the beam, the bridge collapsed.”
”A three-panel team has been formed to probe the matter, and the investigation will be completed within three days. A letter will be sent to the Government against those responsible, and stern action will be taken,” he added.
Increase in incidents of bridge collapse
This incident mirrors a similar occurrence in June when the under-construction Aguwani-Sultanganj bridge collapsed in Bihar’s Bhagalpur, prompting a PIL filed in the Patna High Court seeking an independent inquiry into the incident. The petitioner, Manibhushan Pratap Sengar, advocated for an independent investigation instead of a departmental inquiry, along with action against SP Singla Company, the firm involved in the bridge’s construction.
Furthermore, this August, a tragic event unfolded as 17 workers lost their lives when an under-construction railway bridge collapsed in Aizawl, Mizoram.