PATNA: A portion of an under-construction bridge collapsed in Bihar's Gopalganj district on Sunday evening. No injuries were reported in the collapse.
The small bridge was being constructed on the Ghoghari River in Siddhwalia block, north Bihar, by the state rural works department.
Gopalganj district magistrate Pawan Kumar Sinha visited the spot on Monday and ordered strict departmental action, including termination of service of the concerned assistant engineer (AE) and junior engineer (JE) of the department. The bridge was being constructed at a cost of Rs 2.87 crore, an official said.
The DM also ordered the blacklisting of the contractor who is constructing the small bridge. The district magistrate said that after the preliminary investigation, it was found that both the AE and JE concerned were guilty of not supervising the construction of the bridge properly.
It was also found that the contractor did not follow the protocol pertaining to quality management used in the construction of the bridge. “I have ordered strict departmental action, suspension and termination of both the AE and JE,” the DM added.
Over a dozen bridges, including big and small, have collapsed in different districts of Bihar in 2024.