"Is there a conspiracy behind it?": Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on frequent Bihar bridge collapses

"It is a matter of concern that bridges are collapsing (in Bihar). It looks as if poor-quality material might have been used. But why were the bridges not collapsing before 15 days or a month ago? Why are they collapsing now? Is there a conspiracy behind it?" Manjhi said while addressing the media.

Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Jitan Ram Manjhi on Saturday raised concerns over the recurrent collapse of bridges in Bihar, claiming possible conspiracy behind the incidents. "It is a matter of concern that bridges are collapsing (in Bihar). It looks as if poor-quality material might have been used. But why were the bridges not collapsing before 15 days or a month ago? Why are they collapsing now? Is there a conspiracy behind it?" Manjhi said while addressing the media.

Manjhi suggested that the frequent bridge failures could be a deliberate attempt to damage the government's reputation. "These things are being done on purpose to tarnish the image of the government... Bridges are collapsing continuously, I think this is happening on purpose," Manjhi said.

Notably, five bridges - in Araria, Siwan, East Champaran, Kishanganj, and Madhubani districts - have collapsed across the state in the last nine days. The Union Minister assured that the government is taking stringent measures against the contractors and engineers responsible for the collapsed bridges.

"The government is taking strict action against the contractors and engineers of the collapsed bridges. The government will make sure that this does not happen again...," the Union Minister added. The first incident of a bridge collapse was reported on June 18 in Araria. The latest one took place in Madhubani.

The Madhubani incident came just a day after another bridge fell in Kishanganj district. On June 22, a bridge over the Gandak River in Siwan, approximately 40-45 years old, also fell. On June 23, a bridge under construction in East Champaran, costing around Rs 1.5 crore, collapsed, with locals blaming the use of substandard materials.

Earlier this month on June 18, a newly constructed bridge over the Bakra river in Pararia village of Bihar's Araria district collapsed on Tuesday. The bridge connecting Araria's Sikhti and Kursakatta was washed away before its inauguration.

The incident has raised significant concerns about infrastructure safety in the region. A video capturing the collapse depicts the bridge crumbling within seconds, reducing it to debris. Meanwhile, Office of Nitin Gadkari said in a post on X, "The bridge that collapsed in Araria, Bihar was not constructed under the Central Road Transport Ministry. Its work was going on under the Rural Development Ministry of the Bihar Government."

Congress party's Srinivas BV seized the opportunity to take on the "double engine government" in Bihar."The bridge of the double engine government was washed away in water even before its inauguration," Srinivas BV wrote in a post on X. Last year in June, a portion of a temporary bridge built on River Ganga in the Vaishali district of Bihar was partly washed away by strong winds.

The temporary bridge connected Raghopur to the Vaishali District Headquarters. (ANI)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)