Bihar's infrastructure woes have deepened with the collapse of a sixth bridge in less than two weeks. The latest incident occurred in Kishanganj district's Thakurganj block, where a small bridge spanning the Bund River succumbed to heavy rainfall.



Reports indicate that the bridge, located in Khoshi Dangi village, failed to withstand the surge of water following days of torrential downpours. Late Friday night, one of the bridge's pillars sank approximately 45 centimeters into the riverbed, rendering the structure unsafe for traffic. This route, which serves as a vital link between Bihar and West Bengal, has now been compromised.


The affected bridge, measuring 30 meters in length, was constructed between 2007 and 2008. It was funded by a Rs 50 lakh allocation from the local area development fund, provided by then-MP Mohammad Taslimuddin of Kishanganj. Upon learning of the damage caused by rising water levels, officials promptly erected barricades to halt traffic flow across the bridge.


This incident marks the latest in a series of bridge failures across Bihar. On June 26, a bridge collapsed in Kishanganj district's Bansbari village. Earlier, on June 18, Araria district witnessed the collapse of a 183-meter bridge, which had been built at a cost of Rs 12 crore. Siwan district saw a small bridge over a Gandak River canal fail on June 22, followed by the collapse of an under-construction bridge in East Champaran district on June 23.


The string of bridge collapses has provided ample ammunition for the opposition to criticize Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's government. Allegations of widespread corruption have surfaced, with opposition leader Tejaswi Prasad Yadav taking aim at both the state and central governments. Yadav pointedly asked the public to evaluate "the performance of the double engine government," referring to the BJP-JD(U) alliance ruling at both levels.