Crack emerges on newly-built Motihari bridge; flyover shuttering collapses on Muzaffarpur-Darbhanga highway in Bihar

Patna: Two separate infrastructure-related incidents have raised concerns over construction safety and quality in Bihar, with a flyover shuttering collapsing on the Muzaffarpur-Darbhanga four-lane highway and cracks appearing on the approach road of a newly inaugurated bridge in East Champaran.

A section of shuttering installed for an under-construction flyover on the Muzaffarpur-Darbhanga four-lane highway collapsed at Majhauli Chowk in Muzaffarpur district on Sunday night.

The incident occurred around 10.45 p.m. under the Bochahan police station area while concrete casting work was underway.

Heavy-duty shuttering had been installed for the construction of the flyover when a section suddenly gave way during the casting process.

The collapse produced a loud noise and triggered panic in the area.

Police and personnel from the construction agency reached the spot after receiving information and began clearing the fallen shuttering and debris from the road.

No casualties have been reported in the incident.

The collapse occurred late at night, when traffic and pedestrian movement at Majhauli Chowk were relatively limited.

The location witnesses heavy traffic and pedestrian movement during the daytime, raising concerns about the potential consequences had the structure collapsed during peak traffic hours.

The exact cause of the collapse has not yet been established.

The construction agency is examining the incident, while questions have also been raised about the safety measures being followed during the ongoing construction work on National Highway-27.

Meanwhile, cracks have reportedly appeared on the approach road of the Manjuraha-Hardiya bridge in East Champaran, only around 20 days after its inauguration.

The bridge, constructed at a reported cost of approximately Rs 13 crore, is located at Berua Ghat between Manjuraha and Hardiya, near the East Champaran district headquarters.

Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary inaugurated the approximately 72-metre-long and 7.5-metre-wide RCC bridge on September 1.

The project was intended to improve connectivity in the surrounding areas and facilitate easier movement towards the district headquarters.

According to local residents, a crack measuring approximately 20 feet has appeared on the approach road.

A portion of the road also appears to have subsided, raising concerns about the condition of the newly constructed infrastructure.

Locals have questioned the quality of the construction work and demanded a technical enquiry into the cause of the cracking and subsidence.

A patch-like repair has been carried out at the affected portion of the approach road.

However, residents have questioned whether the repair will provide a permanent solution.

IANS