Patna, May 4 (IANS) Following the damage to Vikramshila Setu in Bhagalpur, the Bihar government has moved swiftly, initiating administrative action and seeking central assistance to fast-track repairs.

The state’s Road Construction Department has suspended an Executive Engineer on charges of negligence.

Given the seriousness of the situation, Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary held discussions with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and senior military leadership.

The government is now preparing to seek assistance from the Indian Army to expedite restoration work.

The incident occurred in the wee hours of Monday, around 12.50 A.M., when a 33-meter portion near Pillar number 133 of the 4.7-km-long bridge collapsed into the Ganges River.

Timely action by the administration—halting traffic in advance—helped avert a major tragedy.

The sudden structural failure created panic in the area and brought traffic to a complete halt.

Several vehicles were reportedly on the bridge at the time, but were quickly moved to safety before the collapse.

Upon receiving information, Bhagalpur District Magistrate Naval Kishore Chaudhary rushed to the spot and assessed the situation.

He stated that, in the interest of public safety, all vehicular movement across the bridge has been completely suspended.

Barricades have been installed at both ends, and a team of technical experts has been called in to inspect the damage.

Connectivity across 16 districts, including the Seemanchal region and Jharkhand, has been disrupted, and the daily movement of nearly 1 lakh people has been affected due to the incident.

The bridge serves as a critical lifeline between north and south Bihar.

The incident has raised serious concerns, especially as the bridge has undergone three rounds of repairs in the past decade, with the latest maintenance completed in March 2026.

The recurrence of structural damage has triggered questions about construction quality and oversight.

The government’s quick response has helped contain the immediate fallout, but the incident has intensified scrutiny over infrastructure quality and long-term maintenance practices in Bihar.

–IANS

ajk/rad