Reasons given by Bihar for frequent bridge collapses merely litany of schemes, policies: SC

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that the explanation provided by the Bihar government for frequent bridge collapses in the state was merely a long litany of “schemes, policies, etc” without any reasons for the accidents that were putting lives at risk, The Hindu reported.

A bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar made the remarks while hearing a public interest litigation petition filed by advocate Brajesh Singh seeking directions to the Bihar government for a comprehensive structural audit of all existing and under-construction bridges in the state.

The petition cited over 10 separate incidents of bridges collapsing in Bihar since 2022, according to The Hindu.

However, Scroll has recorded from media reports at least 16 incidents of bridges collapsing in the state, including in Siwan, Saran, Madhubani, Araria, East Champaran, and Kishanganj districts, since June 2024.

The Supreme Court issued notice to the Bihar government on Singh’s petition on July 29, 2024.

The state government filed its counter affidavit in the matter after a warning from the Supreme Court on November 18, PTI reported.

At the hearing on Wednesday, the counsel for the petitioner claimed that no third-party inspection of bridges had taken place to date despite several instances of bridges collapsing, according to Live Law.

Kumar said that after three bridges that were under construction collapsed, the concerned officials were...

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