Tejashwi Yadav Criticizes Nitish Government After Fifth Bridge Collapse in Nine Days

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister, Tejashwi Yadav, criticized the Nitish Kumar government on Friday after the fifth bridge in Bihar collapsed within nine days. This latest incident took place on the Bhootahi River, which lies between Madhubani and Supaul.

Yadav posted a video on his X (formerly Twitter) account showing the collapsed bridge on the Bhootahi River. In his post, he said, “This is the 5th bridge to collapse in Bihar within 9 days. A bridge under construction for years on the Bhootahi River between Madhubani-Supaul collapsed. Did you find out? If not, why? Try to find out? #Bihar #Bridge.” The video has since gone viral on social media.

The most recent bridge collapse was reported from the Bheja police station area in Madhubani district, which is located in the northernmost part of Bihar, near the Nepal border.

Details About the Bridge

According to ANI, the bridge that collapsed had been under construction for over two years. Officials from the Rural Works Department, who were responsible for building the 75-meter-long bridge, confirmed that one of the pillars had been washed away a few days earlier. The bridge, which is expected to cost around ₹3 crore, was meant to cross the Bhutahi River, which has been swollen due to heavy rains in Nepal’s catchment areas.

Sources told ANI that the district administration has been asked to investigate the incident and submit a report. Meanwhile, the contractor responsible for the bridge has been instructed to repair it as soon as possible.

Other Bridge Collapses in Bihar

Last week, there were reports of bridge collapses in the Araria, Siwan, and East Champaran districts. A similar incident occurred in Kishanganj on Thursday.

On Wednesday evening, June 26, a part of a 13-year-old bridge in Bihar’s Kishanganj collapsed, cutting off 40,000 people in several villages from the mainland. This was the fourth such incident in Bihar within a week. The 70-meter-long and 12-meter-wide bridge, built under the Mukhyamantri Gram Sadak Yojana in 2011 at a cost of ₹25 lakh, caved in due to floodwaters from heavy rainfall.

On June 23, a section of an under-construction bridge in West Champaran district, being built under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, collapsed just hours after concrete casting.

On June 22, a small bridge over a rivulet of the Gandak River in Maharaganj block of Siwan district caved in due to a sudden water flow.