The saga of Bihar’s Sultanganj-Aguwani Ganga Bridge reads like a chronicle of perseverance amid adversity. Spanning 3.5 kilometers, this vital connector has endured 11 years of hurdles, 12 missed deadlines, and three devastating collapses since 2022. Costing Rs 1,750 crore, it’s built by SP Singla to unite Bihar’s divided halves.
Technical probes by IIT Roorkee revealed design vulnerabilities, prompting a shift to robust composite steel beam cable-stay construction with concrete decks. This innovation, now sanctioned, addresses past weaknesses head-on.
While approach roads totaling 20 km stand nearly finished in Sultanganj and Aguwani-Khagaria, the Ganges-crossing kilometer persists as a bottleneck. Repeated official inspections underscore the urgency.
Disaster timeline: First collapse on April 30, 2022, between pillars 4-6 due to gusty winds. Second on June 4, 2023, engulfing pillars 10-13 in the river. Third struck August 17, 2024, at pillar 9. Each incident amplified scrutiny on workmanship and timelines.
Authorities project 2027 completion, eyeing seamless vehicular traffic that could revolutionize connectivity between Bhagalpur and Khagaria. As construction resumes, optimism tempers skepticism born from years of letdowns. Will advanced engineering finally deliver this long-awaited infrastructure marvel?