Concerns Arise Over Construction Safety in Bihar Following Recent Incidents
Infrastructure Incidents Raise Alarm
Photo: IANS
Patna, Sep 21: Recent infrastructure failures in Bihar have sparked serious concerns regarding construction safety standards. A flyover shuttering collapsed on the Muzaffarpur-Darbhanga four-lane highway, while cracks have emerged on the approach road of a newly opened bridge in East Champaran.
On Sunday night, a section of the shuttering for an under-construction flyover at Majhauli Chowk in Muzaffarpur district collapsed around 10:45 p.m. during concrete casting operations.
The heavy-duty shuttering gave way unexpectedly, causing a loud noise that alarmed nearby residents.
Authorities, including police and construction agency personnel, quickly arrived to clear the debris from the road. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries.
The incident occurred late at night when traffic was minimal, but concerns linger about what could have happened had it occurred during peak hours.
The cause of the collapse remains undetermined, and the construction agency is currently investigating the incident. Questions have also been raised regarding the safety protocols in place for the ongoing work on National Highway-27.
In a related issue, cracks have been discovered on the approach road of the Manjuraha-Hardiya bridge in East Champaran, just 20 days post-inauguration.
This bridge, which cost around Rs 13 crore to build, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on September 1 and spans approximately 72 meters in length and 7.5 meters in width.
Local residents have reported a significant crack, approximately 20 feet long, on the approach road, with some areas showing signs of subsidence, raising alarms about the quality of the construction.
Residents are calling for a technical investigation into the issues and have expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of a patch repair that has been applied to the affected area.