'Nitish Kumar's Mangalraaj has arrived finally...': Tejashwi Yadav slams NDA govt over series of bridge collapse in Bihar

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday criticized the Bihar government sharply over the recent series of bridge collapses in the state.

“Congratulations! Due to the double power of the double engine government in Bihar, a mere 5 bridges have collapsed in just 9 days. The double engine NDA government comprising 6 parties, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has sent auspicious and bright wishes of Mangalraj (good rule) to the people of Bihar on the collapse of the 5 bridges in 9 days,” Yadav said in a post on X in Hindi.

Yadav's comments followed the collapse of an under-construction bridge in Jhanjharpur, Madhubani district. This was the fifth bridge collapse in Bihar in the past 11 days. The 77-meter-long bridge, which had been under construction for two years at a cost of around Rs 3 crore, was part of the Prime Minister's Rural Road Scheme and managed by Bihar's Rural Development Department.

He mocked the Nitish Kumar government's claims of "good governance," saying, "The so-called honest people are calling the loss of thousands of crores due to bridge collapses 'courtesy' instead of 'corruption.'"

Yadav sarcastically suggested that opposition leaders should resign whenever bridges are submerged in water.

In the past 11 days, five bridges have collapsed, raising concerns about construction standards and oversight. On June 18, a bridge over the Bakra River in Araria, built for Rs 12 crore, also collapsed.

On June 22, a four-decade-old bridge over the Gandak River in Siwan collapsed. The next day, on June 23, an under-construction bridge in East Champaran, costing around Rs 1.5 crore, also fell. Locals blamed the use of substandard materials for the collapse.

The latest incident happened on June 27, when a bridge over a small tributary connecting the Kankai and Mahananda rivers in Kishanganj collapsed. A video of the collapse went viral.

Following the recent spate of bridge collapses, the state's rural works department convened a review meeting earlier this week to evaluate the condition of bridges and culverts throughout Bihar. Officials have been tasked with submitting a comprehensive report within a week.

These repeated collapses have led to strong criticism from opposition leaders, who are demanding a thorough investigation and proper action against those accountable.