Araria bridge collapse: 3 engineers suspended, contractor booked

Araria: Three engineers of Bihar’s rural works department were suspended on Wednesday in connection with the collapse of a newly built bridge in Araria district the previous day.

Anjani Kumar, an assistant engineer who was also in charge of the executive engineer and two junior engineers, Manish Kumar and Birendra Ram, were placed under suspension, Bihar state rural works department minister Ashok Choudhary said.

He added that a first information report was also filed against contractor Sirajur Rahman in Araria. However, a copy of the FIR could not be made available despite repeated attempts. 

Meanwhile, a four-member team headed by chief engineer Purnea has been constituted to probe the incident.

“I have set up a four-member high-level probe team, headed by the chief engineer of the Purnia works division to conduct a detailed technical investigation of the project. The probe team will inquire into the depth of the foundation of the said bridge, the quantity and quality of the materials used in the foundation, substructure and superstructure and the workmanship of the work done and provide the report within a week along with recommendations”, the minister said.

“We will visit the site on Thursday to find out the reasons behind the collapse of the bridge only then we can say anything in this regard,” chief engineer Nirmal Kumar told HT over the phone.

The 183-metre-long bridge, connecting the Sikti and Kursakanta blocks of Araria district, was being built over the river Bakra at a cost of around Rs.12 crore. It was not opened for traffic because the approach road was yet to be completed. No casualties were reported due to the collapse. 

“It would have been a serious accident if it had been opened,” a senior official told HT.