Bihar: Araria DM orders probe into bridge construction on farmland, with no road access

Rural works department assistant engineer Manoj Kumar clarified that it was not a bridge, but a ‘box culvert’ used for bridging purposes and maintaining waterways underneath.

Araria district magistrate Inayat Khan has ordered a probe into the construction of a bridge allegedly on farmland with no road connectivity in Bihar’s Araria district.

The bridge in contention in Araria. (HT Photo)

“A team of experts is visiting the site of bridge construction to study the feasibility of the bridge at the site. They will submit a detailed report, and action will be taken against officials, including engineers, if they are found guilty,” the DM said on Tuesday.

Locals say the bridge is nothing but an “object of beauty” with no use at all.

The bridge was reportedly built six months ago by the rural works department at Parmanandpur village under Raniganj block of Araria, but since then has had no road connectivity. “It is just hanging in the balance,” the villagers said.

The bridge was to be built along with a 3.2-km-long road.

“Actually, this is not a bridge. It is a ‘box culvert’, used for bridging purposes and maintaining waterways underneath. This was built under Mukhyamantri Gramin Sadak Yojana. The box culvert is on a proposed 3.2-km-long metal road between Parmanandpur Lakshmisthan and Kopari Border,” assistant engineer Manoj Kumar said.

He alleged, “Some villagers demanded money from the contractor and when he denied, they put the fabricated photograph of it on social media.”

Kumar claimed that the ‘box culvert’ would benefit over 1,500 people living in two villages once it gets connected with road. The cost of the bridge and the road is about ₹3 crore.

He, however, admitted that 200m of the road is private land, which is why the ‘box culvert’ has connectivity issued.

“Once the issue of a 200-metre-long road gets resolved, it will be connected by road,” he said, adding, “we have started resolving the issue of land.”

Kumar also denied corruption charges and claimed that the bridge has been constructed as per the norms.

The matter has surfaced at a time when several bridges in Bihar have collapsed in quick succession, raising questions on their construction quality. In Araria, a 183-metre-long bridge, built at a cost of ₹12 crore, collapsed on June 18 and a probe is still underway.