Patna: Bihar’s Road Construction Minister Nitin Nabin on Wednesday dismissed reports of structural cracks on the newly inaugurated Digha-Didarganj JP Ganga bridge as “baseless”, following an on-site inspection.
Accompanied by departmental officials, Nabin spent nearly an hour examining the bridge and gathering information from engineers on the ground. “There is no crack,” he said after the inspection. “There is a technical gap between the bridge and the pillar, which has been misunderstood by the public. The bridge is completely safe for travel.”
The controversy emerged just two days after the inauguration of the bridge’s fourth phase by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on April 6. The 20.5km JP Ganga Path — a riverfront expressway connecting Patna’s eastern and western ends — was constructed at a cost of approximately Rs 3,831 crore.
Responding to concerns over the bridge’s structural integrity, Nabin assured that a statewide bridge maintenance policy is in the works. “Under this policy, the responsibility for regular inspection and maintenance will rest with the department,” he said.
The JP Ganga Path is expected to ease congestion and improve intra-city connectivity. Previously, commuters relied on the heavily trafficked Ashoka Rajpath to access Patna City, a journey that could take up to two hours. With the new route in place, entry into the city is now possible via nine points, including LCT Ghat, Gandhi Maidan, PMCH, and Patna University.
The expressway has also had a tangible impact on emergency healthcare access. Travel time from AIIMS Patna to the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) has been reduced to just 20 minutes — a crucial improvement for patients requiring urgent care.
