As the condition of bridges has become a cause of worry due to their structural degeneration in Bihar, a PIL has been moved before the apex court of India to get a structural analysis of all the bridges of Bihar. The plea comes in the light of nine different bridges that have been reported to have developed cracks in the past two weeks, hence alarming the durability and frequent maintenance of these vital Infrastructures.
The PIL prays for the issuance of adequate directions to the Bihar Government to carry out a high-level structural audit of all existing and under-construction bridges and remove all structures found to be weak or structurally faulty.
This had raised a complex of alarm in the state following the more recent event on Wednesday when three more bridges gave in to the pressure—two in the Siwan district and the remaining in the Saran district.
After the incidents, the Chief Minister of Bihar, Mr. Nitish Kumar, held a press conference after a review meeting with officials of all the concerned departments, asking them to take immediate steps to properly care for and make the bridges of Bihar safe and sound.
Earlier, the Bihar Rural Works Department Minister Ashok Chaudhary said to have set up a three-member committee to examine the recent bridge collapses. The state has been dealing with a spate of such collapses, from the 16-meter-long East Champaran bridge deterioration to the newly constructed 180-meter-long Araria district bridge deterioration.
These occurrences not only disrupt the social entity that is the local populace of Bihar but also raise questions about the condition of Bihar’s bridges in terms of safety and structural soundness. PIL being a sensitive issue, while it is being processed through the Apex Court, the state government will be more pressured to handle this problem and protect the public and occupants of the transport system.
