In a troubling development, a section of the Sultanganj-Aguwani Ghat bridge, still under construction in Bihar, collapsed into the Ganga River for the third time. The latest collapse, which occurred on Saturday, involved the superstructure of the bridge and has reignited concerns over the quality and management of the ambitious infrastructure project.
The bridge, a significant initiative envisioned by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, was designed to connect Sultanganj in Bhagalpur District with Aguani Ghat in Khagaria District. This project was intended to facilitate smoother travel from Bhagalpur to Jharkhand via Khagaria and reduce traffic congestion on the Vikramshila Bridge, a crucial regional link.
Despite the bridge being under construction for nearly nine years, the repeated collapses have raised serious questions. Eyewitnesses captured footage of the latest incident, which quickly spread across social media, highlighting the ongoing issues with the project.
Previously, the bridge had collapsed on June 30, 2022, and June 4, 2023. On both occasions, significant portions of the structure fell into the river, leading to widespread criticism of the Bihar government’s handling of the project. The construction company responsible, SK Singla Construction Pvt. Ltd., has yet to provide a satisfactory explanation for the repeated failures.
The Bihar government had imposed penalties on SK Singla Construction Pvt. Ltd. after the June 2023 collapse and demanded the reconstruction of the damaged sections at the company’s expense. The most recent collapse has further intensified scrutiny of the project, with experts suggesting misalignment issues may be contributing to the failures.
The foundation stone for the 3.16 km bridge was laid on February 23, 2014, and construction commenced on March 9, 2015, with a budget allocation of ₹1,710 crore. Despite the significant investment, the bridge remains incomplete after nearly a decade. The Bihar government’s road construction department has successfully built a 16 km approach road from Khagaria and a 4 km approach road from Bhagalpur, but the main bridge structure is still unfinished.
As the investigation into the latest collapse continues, the future of the Sultanganj-Aguwani Ghat bridge remains uncertain, casting a shadow over one of Bihar’s most anticipated infrastructure projects.
Sources By Agencies
