Bihar Engineering Services Association demands structural audit of bridges

Three days after the collapse of the four-lane Sultanganj-Aguwani Ghat Bridge in Bhagalpur, the Bihar Engineering Services Association (BESA) on Wednesday demanded a structural audit of all recently completed and under-construction bridges in the state.

The BESA, which is an association of members of the Bihar Engineering Services as well as other state government undertakings, said the audit will identify flaws, weaknesses and deficiencies, if any, in the structures of all recently completed and under-construction bridges.

The Khagaria side of the bridge collapsed on Sunday around 14 months after its Sultanganj side pillar number 5 had fallen on April 30 last year.

BESA general secretary Rakesh Kumar told PTI, "We must learn lessons from such incidents. A team of BESA members is collecting all relevant information from the ground. We will soon come out with our own report."

"We, however, demand that the state government orders structural audit of all completed and under-constructi