Nitish Kumar is the uncrowned king of broken bridges

Imagine this scenario: There is a project, which happens to be one of the most important aspirations of the current Chief Minister of Bihar. Despite facing numerous obstacles, the project continues to be in progress, to the extent that its cost surpasses even that of the entire New Parliament complex. Yet, this project collapses even before its completion.

Welcome to Bihar, where mishaps are just normal for the public and today Let’s delve into the recent bridge collapse in Bihar, and why this proves that Nitish Master is the uncrowned king of broken bridges, both literally and subjectively.

The collapse in Bhagalpur

In the state of Bihar, India, an unfortunate incident unfolded as a bridge, which had not yet been inaugurated, collapsed, resulting in substantial financial losses and causing significant disruption to the lives of many. This incident serves as a poignant reminder of the state’s governance, reflecting issues of corruption and mismanagement. The Aguwani Sultanganj Bridge, once envisioned as a flagship project under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, now rests submerged in water, embodying the consequences of inadequate oversight and accountability within the Bihar government.

Envisioned as a grand infrastructure project, the Aguwani Sultanganj Bridge in Bhagalpur, was laid out in 2014 under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. This four-lane project was supposed to herald a new era of transportation and communication within the state. But ironically, the bridge has come to represent the opposite – a failure of governance and an explicit display of corruption.

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Not just physical damage

With a staggering cost of more than Rs. 1700 crores, this bridge costs more than double the entire cost of the new Parliament complex in Delhi, another significant infrastructure project in the country. The bridge, however, instead of standing as a testament to Bihar’s development and progress, collapsed even before its completion. The shocking visual, captured in a video that has since gone viral, shows the bridge submerging into the water in just 23 seconds, embodying the short-lived dream of development in the state.

The financial repercussions of this collapse are indeed significant, but it is the human cost that raises the most concern. Vibhash Yadav, who was posted as a guard at the construction site for Singla Constructions, went missing following the bridge’s collapse. The emotional turmoil and uncertainty that his family has been thrown into underscores the real human cost of such mishaps. Yet, amidst all this, the voice of concern and questioning for the likes of Yadav remains conspicuously absent.

Nitish and ‘Sushasan’ don’t go hand in hand

Critics argue that the apathy shown towards this disaster reflects poorly on Nitish Kumar’s leadership and governance. The critics also contend that no questions are raised against Nitish Kumar, and the issue of his ‘sense of responsibility’ goes undebated. This incident is an outright result of the corruption that the Bihar government is known for.

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Nitish Kumar, who was once hailed as a leader who could bring about change in Bihar, has instead earned the title of an ‘uncrowned king of broken bridges’, symbolizing his failures in governance. His inability to maintain the state’s infrastructure and to create meaningful alliances paints a dismal picture of his leadership.

This incident should serve as a wake-up call for the Bihar government and its leaders, highlighting the urgent need for transparency, accountability, and effective governance. Only then can the citizens of Bihar hope to traverse the bridges of development and progress, rather than witnessing these devastating collapses as day today news.