Patna : Two pontoon bridges connecting Bihar to Uttar Pradesh were washed away on Friday following heavy rain and strong winds, disrupting road traffic between the states in Buxar and Bhojpur districts.
The temporary structures, built annually over the Ganga to facilitate local transportation during the dry season, were damaged amid an abrupt storm that swept across the region. Officials confirmed that the bridges in Ara’s Sinha police station area and Buxar’s Nainijor Ganga stretch suffered structural failure and sections were swept away by the river’s rising current.
Local authorities said a major accident was narrowly avoided as the collapse occurred in the afternoon when traffic was relatively light. However, the breakdown has brought vehicular movement to a standstill, affecting daily commuters and goods transport across the river.
“The process of reconnecting the bridge has begun,” said Khurshid Alam, senior project engineer at the Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Limited. “However, working in the Ganga at night poses considerable challenges. We expect the bridge to be operational again by Saturday.”
