Following the collapse of a section of the Vikramshila Setu in Bhagalpur, the Bihar government has taken prompt action by initiating administrative measures and requesting central aid for speedy repairs.
The state’s Road Construction Department has relieved an Executive Engineer of duties due to alleged negligence in the incident.
In response to the severity of the situation, Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary engaged in discussions with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and senior military officials to address the issue.
The government is now gearing up to involve the Indian Army to accelerate the restoration work on the bridge.
The collapse, which occurred around 12.50 A.M. on Monday near Pillar number 133 of the 4.7-km-long bridge, prompted the administration to preemptively halt traffic, preventing a potential disaster.
The sudden structural failure caused panic in the vicinity, leading to a complete standstill of traffic on the bridge.
Despite several vehicles reportedly being present on the bridge at the time, they were safely evacuated before the collapse.
Upon being informed, Bhagalpur District Magistrate Naval Kishore Chaudhary rushed to the scene to evaluate the situation and decided to suspend all vehicular movement on the bridge for public safety.
Barricades have been set up at both ends of the bridge, and a team of technical experts has been summoned to assess the extent of the damage.
The disruption in connectivity across 16 districts, including the Seemanchal region and Jharkhand, has impacted the daily commute of nearly 1 lakh individuals due to the incident.
The bridge, a vital link between north and south Bihar, has undergone multiple repairs over the past decade, with the most recent maintenance completed in March 2026.
The reoccurrence of structural issues has raised concerns regarding construction standards and oversight, prompting scrutiny over infrastructure quality and maintenance practices in Bihar.
