Aguani Ghat-Sultanganj bridge collapsed

Executive engineer suspended....

In Patna, on river Ganga a portion of the under-construction Aguani Ghat-Sultanganj Bridge collapsed, the state road construction department (RCD) is likely to blacklist the firm, SP Singla Construction Ltd, which was constructing it. The bridge was supposed to connect Khagaria and Bhagalpur districts.

The RCD on Monday served a show-cause notice on the firm and suspended the executive engineer of its Khagaria division besides issuing show-cause notice to the managing director of Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Limited. The Khagaria side of the bridge collapsed on Sunday approximately 14 months after its Sultanganj side pillar number 5 had fallen on April 30, 2022.

The RCD has decided to demolish the leftover span of the bridge and awaits the “structural audit report” of its design by IIT-Roorkee, which had been entrusted with the task after the fall of Sultanganj side of the bridge last year.

Additional chief secretary (RCD) Pratyaya Amrit said a show-cause notice has been served to the construction company before blacklisting it. The department has also ordered demolition of the one span left. Talking about the administrative action, Amrit said, “Executive engineer of Khagaria division has been suspended and assistant engineer has been changed.

On Sunday, CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav while addressing the medi anew DPR will be made and fresh work will be started, Pratyaya had also said. Tejashwi, who is also the RCD minister, said the loss incurred will be borne by the construction company.