Patna: The Bihar government is unaware of who constructed 693 bridges in 14 districts across the state. These startling facts have emerged from a survey conducted by the state government. Following the frequent collapse of bridges in Bihar, the Water Resources Department conducted its own survey. The survey revealed that there is no information available about who constructed 693 bridges over canals and streams in these districts. The government or the relevant departments have no data on which department built these bridges, who owns them, and who is responsible for their maintenance. The Rural Development Department has now been asked to provide information regarding these bridges.
Unknown Entities in the Report
Sanjay Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Development Department, has issued instructions to all District Magistrates regarding this matter. He stated that according to the survey and investigation conducted by the Water Resources Department, there is no information available on who constructed the 693 bridges in these 14 districts. The department itself is unaware. The Water Resources Department has reported in its survey that the construction agencies responsible for these bridges are ‘unknown.’
Information Sought from Various Departments
Chaitanya Prasad, Additional Chief Secretary of the Water Resources Department, sought information from the Road Construction Department, Rural Works Department, Panchayati Raj Department, Planning and Development Department, and the Rural Development Department regarding these bridges. He urged these departments to identify these bridges and repair them as per the inspection report. However, due to the bridges being declared ‘unknown,’ the path to their repair remains unclear. The government still lacks the necessary information on who constructed these bridges.
Bridges Found in These Districts
The survey conducted across Bihar identified these bridges in districts like Muzaffarpur, Champaran, Madhubani, Gopalganj, Saran, Siwan, Saharsa, Katihar, Vaishali, Madhepura, Araria, Purnia, and Supaul. The Bihar Rural Development Society has released a list of these bridges, many of which are in a dilapidated condition but are still in use. The problem is that the department responsible for these bridges is unknown, resulting in a lack of maintenance. These deteriorating bridges pose a serious risk of accidents.
