A bridge over Bihar’s Gandak canal in Siwan collapsed today, causing panic and triggering concerns about infrastructure safety in the area. The bridge, which linked Patedhi Bazar in Maharajganj district to Ramgarh Panchayat in Darbhanga, came crashing down, and the noise could be heard as far as Ramgarh. No casualties have been reported so far.

Video footage capturing the dramatic collapse of the nearly 40-year-old bridge shows its sudden destruction. The bridge served as a vital link for thousands of daily commuters between the two districts.

Local residents expressed outrage over what they describe as neglect in maintaining the old bridge. They argue that despite its importance, the bridge had not received adequate upkeep. They alleged that the lack of care during the canal’s construction led to erosion around the bridge pillars, resulting in one of them collapsing today.

The collapse has completely disrupted travel across the Gandak canal, forcing residents to take lengthy detours to reach neighboring areas.

This incident comes shortly after a similar collapse in Araria, where a newly constructed bridge over the Bakra River collapsed before its inauguration. Video footage from that incident showed the bridge tilting and then collapsing into the river.

The bridge, constructed at a cost of Rs 12 crore by the state government, was not opened to the public as approach roads to the bridge were yet to be constructed. It was expected to connect Kursa Kanta and Sikty areas of Araria district.

The same bridge had collapsed due to heavy rainfall in 2020, causing 12 people, including four motorcyclists, to fall into the Bakra river.