Built after an 11 year wait, Bihar’s ₹26.4 crore bridge develops faults just 96 hours after opening

A newly inaugurated road overbridge in Bihar’s Buxar district has come under scrutiny after developing structural issues within just 96 hours of opening to the public, forcing authorities to suspend traffic movement and initiate repair work.

The overbridge, built at the Itarhi Gumti railway crossing at a cost of around ₹26.40 crore, had been awaited for years by local residents. According to locals, the project remained pending for nearly 11 years before finally being opened for public use.

However, the celebration was short-lived.

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Officials said the upper layer near Pier No. 5 of the bridge subsided, prompting the administration to immediately stop vehicular movement on the structure. The bridge has been temporarily closed as a precautionary measure while repairs are carried out.

The incident has sparked strong reactions from residents, many of whom questioned the quality of construction. Local people alleged irregularities and corruption in the project, arguing that a bridge built at such a significant cost should not have developed problems within days of inauguration.

Residents said quality standards were not properly maintained during construction and demanded a fair investigation into the matter. They also called for action against those found responsible.

The development has revived concerns over infrastructure quality in Bihar, where several construction projects have faced scrutiny in recent years. Locals said the latest incident has further eroded public confidence in government-funded infrastructure works.

Local journalists described the episode as serious, noting that a bridge for which people had waited years “could not even last 96 hours.” They said the incident raises questions about both construction quality and the effectiveness of project monitoring mechanisms.

The administration’s handling of the project is also being discussed, with residents arguing that more rigorous inspections during construction could have prevented such a situation.

For now, traffic remains suspended on the overbridge as repair work is planned. Public attention is now focused on how quickly the structure can be restored and whether an inquiry will be ordered into the circumstances that led to the damage.