Bihar suspends 16 engineers after 10 bridges fall in quick succession
- In Reports
- 08:13 PM, Jul 05, 2024
- Myind Staff
Sixteen engineers from Bihar's water resources department have been suspended following the collapse of 10 bridges within the state over the past 15 days, according to a departmental statement. Bihar's Development Secretary, Chaitanya Prasad, emphasised the state government's commitment to addressing the issue, promising that the responsible contractors will be identified and held accountable for the bridge failures. The latest collapse occurred in Saran district on July 5th, marking the third bridge to fall within a 24-hour period in that district alone.
Since June 18, Bihar has witnessed the collapse of 10 bridges in districts including Siwan, Saran, Madhubani, Araria, East Champaran, and Kishanganj, according to Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary. Following a review meeting on July 3rd, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar instructed officials to assess all older bridges and identify those urgently in need of repairs. Chaudhary also mentioned that investigations are currently underway.
Contrarily, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejaswi Yadav claimed that 12 bridges have collapsed in Bihar since June 18.
In a statement posted on X, Tejaswi Yadav criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for their silence on the collapse of twelve bridges in Bihar since June 18. He questioned their claims of good governance and a corruption-free government in light of these incidents. Mr. Yadav alleged that the frequent bridge collapses reveal widespread corruption across various departments of the state government.
Meanwhile, the Bihar Road construction department has drafted a bridge maintenance policy and urged the rural works department to expedite the finalisation of its plan.
Rural works department minister Ashok Choudhary criticised Tejashwi Yadav, pointing out that Yadav had held the portfolio for over 15 months during the previous Mahagathbandhan government. Choudhary questioned Yadav's actions during his tenure, suggesting that both the previous RJD-led Bihar government and Yadav himself should bear responsibility for the current situation regarding the bridge collapses.
Image source: Times of India
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