Bridge collapse in Bihar’s Araria: Probe ordered for the structural failure

A pillar of a bridge worth around four crore rupees collapsed on Monday in Bihar’s Araria district, stopping all traffic across it. The bridge, which was built in 2019, connects Forbesganj with Pategna village across the Parman River near Kevlashi village and is maintained by the Rural Works Department. A video of the damaged structure quickly spread on social media, attracting millions of views. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported in the incident.

District Magistrate Anil Kumar has asked for a detailed inquiry, and a technical team has begun investigating the cause of the collapse. This incident comes amid rising concerns about Bihar's infrastructure, especially after more than a dozen bridges collapsed in the state last year. One of the most notable collapses occurred in 2024 was a 12-crore-rupee bridge over the Bakra River in Araria. The repeated failures have left citizens worried about safety and the quality of public construction projects.

Investigations into previous incidents have often pointed to poor construction practices, negligence, corruption, and shifts in river flow as major contributors to structural instability. In response, the Bihar government has suspended several engineers promising tighter monitoring of infrastructure projects. Officials in the recent case said the collapse involved one of the bridge’s four spans after a pillar sank into the riverbed. Executive Engineer Chandrashekhar Kumar mentioned that local attempts to alter the river’s course may have worsened the situation.

Authorities have stressed the need to follow safety and construction standards in a strict manner in the future and assured the public that repairs will be carried out soon to restore connectivity. Meanwhile, political leaders have criticized the incident, blaming substandard materials and weak supervision.

In any case, this incident underlines the urgent need for transparent governance, durable infrastructure, and long-term planning, especially in rural and flood-prone areas. Frequent infrastructure failures disrupt livelihoods, damage the economy, and erode public trust. To prevent such tragedies, systemic reforms focusing on accountability, better engineering practices, and active community participation are essential.