Vikramshila Bridge partially collapsed over the Ganga River in Bihar’s Bhagalpur on Sunday night, forcing authorities to suspend traffic and take immediate safety measures. The bridge serves as a crucial link between Bhagalpur, Banka, and Jharkhand on one side, and Navgachhia, Katihar, Purnea, Saharsa, and Madhepura on the other. Officials confirmed that no casualties occurred, as alerts were issued in time and emergency steps were taken quickly.
District Magistrate Nawal Kishore Choudhary said the collapse happened in two stages. Structural failure began around 11:55 p.m. at one section of the bridge, followed by a complete span collapse at about 1:07 a.m. This incident split the 4.7-kilometre-long bridge into two parts. Authorities immediately diverted traffic to avoid any risk. They rerouted vehicles from Bhagalpur towards Munger, while traffic from the other side was redirected towards Khagaria.
Senior officials, including Bhagalpur SSP Pramod Kumar Yadav and Navgachhia SP Rajesh Kumar, reached the site soon after the incident. They coordinated traffic management and ensured public safety. The administration informed the state headquarters, and officials are sending a high-level technical team to assess the damage. Experts will inspect all pillars and spans of the bridge and recommend repair measures.
The Vikramshila Bridge, which opened in 2001 during Rabri Devi’s tenure, has long served as a vital transport route in the region. Earlier this year, reports had already raised concerns about structural damage in parts of the bridge. At that time, the district administration had assured the public about its safety. However, this recent collapse has renewed concerns about infrastructure maintenance and safety checks
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Vikramshila Bridge Collapse Raises Infrastructure Concerns
Bihar Road Construction Department (NH wing) and Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Limited are responsible for the repair and maintenance of the Vikramshila Bridge. Following the recent collapse, questions have been raised about whether timely maintenance and inspections were properly carried out. Authorities have now started reviewing the situation as part of a detailed investigation.
The incident has triggered a wider debate on infrastructure safety and accountability in the state. Many experts and citizens have pointed to possible negligence and the lack of proactive maintenance measures. Over the past two years, more than a dozen bridges in the region have reported partial or complete collapses. This pattern has increased public concern and highlighted the urgent need for regular structural audits, better monitoring systems, and stricter safety standards to prevent such incidents in the future.
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