Targeting safety enhancement under its newly-launched Bihar State Bridge Maintenance Policy 2025, the Bihar government has roped in IIT Delhi and IIT Patna to audit 85 of its bridges, said an official government release on Friday.
The policy is the first of its kind in the country that has devised a state-level framework for bridge upkeep. It targets safety enhancements across 3,968 bridges, including 532 mega structures built over the last 18 years.
The fee for the technical consultation for the audit of 85 key structures entails a ₹16.61 crore, with letters of acceptance already issued, the release added.
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Bihar's Minister for Road Construction, Nitin Nabin, said, "The IITs will provide vital status reports on our bridges as part of this new Bihar State Bridge Maintenance Policy framework. Under the agreement, IIT Delhi will assess 40 major bridges (exceeding 250 metres in length) in north Bihar, while IIT Patna will evaluate 45 such bridges primarily in south Bihar.”
IIT Delhi will be submitting a proposal for real-time structural health monitoring systems for the Arrah-Chhapra and Arwal-Sahar mega bridges, officials informed.
Apart from the audits, the IITs will also prepare detailed repair, retrofitting, and rehabilitation estimates based on their findings. These recommendations will then by executed by the Bihar State Road Building Corporation.
Nabin also said that the implementation of the new policy will lead to a decrease in maintenance expenditure and ensure bridges remain in good condition, providing safe and easy travel for the people.
With multiples bridges collapsing in the state in a span of a few years, the state government is also exploring the use of drone cameras and sensors, exemplified by a Gurgaon-based firm's recent digital safety audit of the Bairiyahati Ghat bridge in Samastipur.
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