Petition Filed in SC for Structural Audit of Bihar Bridges After Multiple Collapses

The petitioner has urged the government to set up an expert committee to identify weak bridges that may need strengthening or demolition based on their findings.

According to the news agency PTI, a total of 10 bridges have collapsed in the districts of Siwan, Saran, Madhubani, Araria, East Champaran, and Kishanganj in the past 16 days, with many attributing the incidents to heavy rainfall.

PIL Seeks Real-Time Monitoring of Bridges
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL), filed by advocate and petitioner Brajesh Singh, raises concerns about the safety and longevity of bridges in Bihar, a state that experiences floods and heavy rains during the monsoon season.

The petitioner emphasized that Bihar is the most flood-prone state in India, with a flood-affected area of 68,800 square kilometers, accounting for 73.06% of its total geographical area. “It is a matter of grave concern that in a state like Bihar, which is the most flood-prone state of India, the total flood-affected area in the state is 68,800 sq. km which is 73.06 per cent of the total geographical area. Hence such routine accrual of the incident of falling bridges in Bihar is more disastrous as the lives of people at large are at stake. Therefore the urgent intervention of this Hon’ble Court is required to save the lives of people, as the under-construction bridges before its accomplishment collapsed routinely,” the petitioner stated.

Call for Expert Panel and Monitoring
Besides calling for a high-level expert panel, the petitioner has also sought real-time monitoring of the bridges based on parameters set by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Additionally, the petitioner has requested a directive for Bihar to establish a permanent body through legislation or executive order. This body would include high-level experts from relevant fields to continuously monitor all existing and under-construction bridges and maintain a comprehensive database on the health of all bridges in the state.

In response to the recent bridge collapses, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has instructed the road construction and rural works departments to survey all old bridges in the state and identify those in need of urgent repair.