Patna: The Bihar Road Construction Department has ordered a large and urgent safety check of all major bridges across the state. The decision was taken in a high-level meeting held in Patna on May 9, chaired by Secretary Pankaj Kumar Pal. Officials said the aim is to make sure every important bridge is safe and ready, especially with the monsoon season approaching.
Senior officials from different agencies, including the Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Limited and the Bihar State Road Development Corporation, took part in the meeting. Teams from the National Highways wing also joined. Regional engineers connected through video calls. The main focus was to review the condition of old bridges and check whether safety standards are being properly followed.
The department has now ordered that all major bridges must go through a “safety audit” within 72 hours. Engineers have been told to carefully inspect important parts of bridges like girders, bearings, slabs, pillars, joints, and drainage systems. They must also check approach roads and clean drainage lines to avoid water-related damage during heavy rains. Any bridge found to be weak or unsafe must be repaired immediately.
Officials were also told that bridges between 60 metres and over 250 metres in length will be closely monitored. The same rules will apply to bridges on national highways under the control of the National Highways Authority of India. The department said that no negligence will be accepted at any level, and inspections will continue to be reviewed from the headquarters.
Secretary Pankaj Kumar Pal gave a strict warning that responsibility will be fixed for any failure. He said even senior officers at the headquarters could face action if any damage happens due to carelessness. All inspection reports must be uploaded on the PMIS portal within 72 hours. The department said the goal is simple—to keep all bridges safe so that people can travel without risk anywhere in the state.
