Patna: The condition of 23 major bridges in Bihar is critical, while 50 bridges of various sizes require urgent repairs, according to a preliminary report by IIT Patna following a statewide inspection.The IIT team inspected 47 bridges longer than 250 metres, and authorities have begun follow-up action based on its findings. The report comes amid heightened concern over bridge safety after a recent collapse of a portion of the Vikramshila Setu in Bhagalpur.In a high-level review meeting held on Saturday, road construction department (RCD) secretary Pankaj Kumar Pal assessed the safety status of bridges exceeding 60 metres in length under the Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Ltd (BRPNNL). Senior engineers and officials attended the meeting.Officials informed that a total of 638 bridges longer than 60 metres have been identified across the state, and inspections for all have been completed. District-wise assessments include 49 bridges in West Champaran, 36 in Patna, 39 in Muzaffarpur, 38 in Araria, 27 in Purnia, 37 in Kishanganj, 36 in Katihar, 35 in Supaul, 30 in East Champaran, 29 in Darbhanga, 25 in Gaya, 20 in Nawada, 16 in Jamui and 19 in Saharsa.Repair and strengthening work is currently underway on 10 bridges, while new bridges will be constructed at five critical locations. The movement of heavy vehicles has been restricted on four bridges, and work is in progress to create an alternative diversion at another sensitive site to ensure smooth traffic flow.The RCD secretary directed officials to expedite the tendering process for maintenance work and ensure timely completion. He also reviewed inspection reports for individual bridges and instructed engineers to take immediate corrective measures.Warning against delays, Pal said strict disciplinary action would be taken against engineers in divisions where work progress is slow or quality standards are compromised.The state govt had recently ordered a comprehensive safety audit of bridges following the Vikramshila Setu incident, which raised serious concerns over the structural integrity of ageing infrastructure across Bihar.
Attachment
