Another bridge collapse in Bihar has reignited political tensions in the state, raising fresh questions about infrastructure safety and sparking accusations of government negligence. The incident, which occurred on Sunday in Champaran district, comes just weeks after a similar collapse in the state capital, Patna.
Thankfully, no casualties were reported in the Champaran bridge collapse, though local media outlets reported minor injuries to a few individuals. However, the incident has caused significant disruption to traffic flow in the region, as the bridge connected several villages to important markets and towns.
Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) wasted no time in capitalizing on the incident. He called the collapse a "direct consequence" of the ruling government's "apathy towards infrastructure development" and its "rampant corruption. " Yadav claimed the bridge had been flagged for repairs months ago but no action was taken.
The state government, led by the Janata Dal (United) party (JD(U)), has yet to issue an official statement on the cause of the collapse. However, sources within the party indicated they would be launching an investigation to determine the factors that led to the bridge failure.
This latest incident comes amidst growing public concern over the state of Bihar's infrastructure. The previous bridge collapse in Patna had sparked protests and demands for accountability from the government. Critics have pointed to a history of delayed maintenance projects and allegations of mismanagement of funds allocated for infrastructure development.
The opposition has also targeted the central government, accusing it of neglecting its responsibility to provide adequate financial support for infrastructure projects in Bihar. They argue that the central government's focus on larger national projects has left states like Bihar struggling to maintain their existing infrastructure.
The bridge collapse is likely to be a major point of contention in the upcoming national elections. Both the state and central governments are expected to face intense scrutiny over their infrastructure development policies in the lead-up to the polls. It remains to be seen whether the incident will have a significant impact on voter sentiment, but it has undoubtedly cast a shadow over the government's record on infrastructure development.