ARARIA: A portion of a newly constructed bridge over the Bakra river collapsed in Pararia village of Bihar's Araria district on Tuesday, a police officer said.
No casualty were reported, he said.
The bridge, constructed by the state government at a cost of Rs 12 crore, was not opened to the public as approach roads to the bridge were yet to be constructed.
The bridge connects Kursa Kanta and Sikti areas of Araria district.
The bridge, spanning a fast-flowing Bakra river, reportedly tilted to one side before collapsing. A crowd had gathered on the banks, capturing the scene as the collapsed portion was swiftly washed away. People were seen running towards safety as the incident unfolded.
Talking to PTI, Amit Ranjan, Superintendent of Police (SP), Araria, said, "A portion of a newly constructed bridge over the Bakra river has collapsed. Officials have reached there to examine the matter."
The cause of the incident is not yet known, he added.
Reacting to the incident, Sikti MLA Vijay Kumar Mandal accused the construction company's negligence for the bridge collapse. "The bridge has collapsed due to negligence by the construction company's owner. We demand that the administration should conduct an investigation," he said.
Similar cases of bridge collapses have occurred in the state in recent times.
In March, an under-construction bridge over the Kosi river collapsed in Supaul district, leaving one person dead and 10 others injured.