Tejashwi attacks Bihar govt over Vikramshila Bridge collapse, alleges corruption

Political tensions have escalated in Bihar after a portion of the Vikramshila Bridge in Bhagalpur collapsed, triggering sharp exchanges between the Opposition and the ruling NDA government, along with fresh allegations of corruption.

Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav criticised the government on social media platform X, alleging large-scale corruption in the construction and maintenance of the bridge. Sharing images of the damaged structure, he claimed that repeated warnings about its condition had been ignored. He further said the collapse into the Ganges River was a direct consequence of negligence and graft, adding that concerns he raised last month went unaddressed.

Yadav also alleged that more than 100 bridges and culverts have collapsed across the state over the past two years, attributing the trend to systemic corruption. He noted that although several vehicles were on the bridge at the time, a major tragedy was narrowly averted as no vehicle was directly on the section that gave way.

The state government has since initiated action. The Road Construction Department has suspended an Executive Engineer for alleged negligence. Chief minister Samrat Choudhary has held discussions with Union defence minister Rajnath Singh regarding urgent repair measures, with sources indicating that assistance from the Indian Army may be sought to expedite restoration.

The incident occurred around 12:50 am on Monday, when an approximately 33-metre stretch of the 4.7-kilometre-long bridge collapsed into the river. Swift administrative action in halting traffic helped prevent any loss of life.

However, the collapse has severely disrupted connectivity across nearly 16 districts, including the Seemanchal region and parts of Jharkhand, affecting the daily commute of around one lakh people. The bridge, a key infrastructure link, has undergone repairs three times over the past decade, raising fresh concerns over construction quality, maintenance standards and infrastructure oversight in the state.

With agency inputs