A portion of the key Vikramshila Setu over the Ganga River collapsed early on Monday in Bihar’s Bhagalpur district, prompting authorities to order an investigation. No casualties were reported in the incident, which brought traffic to a halt on the 4.7-kilometre-long bridge that connects Bhagalpur with Naugachia in the district. Following the collapse, authorities arranged steamers and boats to transport people across the river.
Bhagalpur District Magistrate Nawal Kishor Choudhary said, “Around 12:50 am, a gap developed near pillar number 133 of the Vikramshila Setu. Soon after, a large slab fell into the river.” He added that there were no reports of vehicles falling along with the slab or any casualties. “As soon as officials were alerted about the gap between the slabs, they acted swiftly to clear all vehicles and people from the area,” the DM said.
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With traffic suspended on both sides of the bridge, Choudhary advised commuters to use an alternate route via Munger. Chandrashekhar Singh, chairman of the Bihar State Bridge Construction Corporation (BSBCC), said that Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary had spoken with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the Army chief to arrange alternative transport solutions with assistance from the Border Roads Organisation and the Army.
He added that boats and steamers were already deployed to facilitate movement of people and smaller vehicles, and authorities have set a three-month target for repairing the bridge. “In the long term, considering the heavy traffic load on Vikramshila Setu, a parallel four-lane bridge is under construction and is expected to be completed by December this year,” Singh said.
On the possible causes of the collapse, the district magistrate noted that an expert engineering committee has been formed to investigate the incident. When asked about potential damage to the protection wall near the affected section, Choudhary said this could only be confirmed after a detailed inspection.
In March, a video circulated on social media showing the deteriorating condition of the bridge’s protection walls. At the time, then Road Construction Minister Dilip Kumar Jaiswal had stated that the damaged back wall would be reconstructed soon.
“About a month ago, after reports of deterioration in a protection wall, we sent a team to inspect the site. The team confirmed damage to a false wall but found the main pillar intact. Based on that assessment, a detailed project report (DPR) for maintenance was prepared and is currently awaiting approval,” Singh said.
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