Amid reports of bridge collapses during the monsoon season in Bihar, the construction of a unique bridge in the state has made headlines, leaving many astounded.
An interesting incident involving the construction of a bridge over a dried-up river in the village of Paramanandpur in the Raniganj block of Araria district in Bihar has come to light.
The construction of the bridge has sparked anger among the villagers, who are vehemently protesting against it as it is constructed right in the middle of a field.
The villagers allege corruption in the construction process, claiming that the bridge was built on private land instead of over the river.
After facing criticism from villagers, the District Magistrate (DM) of Araria has ordered an investigation. According to reports, DM Inayat Khan directed the executive engineer of the Rural Works Department to conduct a probe and submit a report. The DM stated that action would be taken once the report is received. He also assured that anyone found guilty would face consequences.
न नदी, न सड़क… खेत में बना दिया पुल, बिहार के अररिया में अनोखा ब्रिज  रानीगंज प्रखंड के परमानंदपुर गांव में एक सूख चुकी नदी पर पुल और करीब तीन किलोमीटर की सड़क के लिए तीन करोड़ रुपये आवंटित किए गए, लेकिन यहां नदी के ऊपर नहीं बीच खेत में ही पुल का निर्माण कर दिया गया और सड़क pic.twitter.com/Z4VMJj6SNq
— Er Rahul Yadav (@KumarRahul44570) August 7, 2024
Upon learning about the bridge, people were left completely shocked and bewildered. Villagers mentioned that due to collusion between some agents, the bridge was constructed at that particular spot, not connected to any road or approach path, rendering it useless.
The villagers told NDTV that the bridge is located in an area that leaves nearly 500 acres of their land inaccessible. They questioned the purpose of the bridge, pointing out that it is not over a road or river, making it impractical for any use.
Why was the bridge constructed in the middle of a field?
According to a report by the Indian Express, construction began on a 2.5-km road in Parmanandpur village under the CM Gramin Sadak scheme, but the land acquisition process from local farmers was not completed. The bridge was intended to be part of this project, designed to allow water to pass from one side of the field to the other once the road was constructed. Although the bridge was built on already acquired land, the road construction had not started because the land acquisition for the road was still incomplete.
