Authorities in Bihar have restricted heavy traffic movement on the Jhamta Mahishakol bridge in Araria after one of its pillars reportedly subsided.
May 24, 2026: Authorities on Saturday suspended the movement of heavy vehicles on the 206.72-metre-long Jhamta Mahishakol bridge in Araria after one of its pillars was found to have subsided. Built in 2022 at a cost of ₹7.32 crore, the bridge spans the Parmar river and connects several villages in the Forbesganj and Araria (Sadar) blocks. It is considered an important transport link for residents living in flood-prone regions of the district.
Officials said local residents alerted district authorities about the structural issue. Following the complaint, a team of engineers inspected the site and submitted a report to the rural works department. Executive engineer Chandrashekhar Prasad stated that the bridge remains under its defect liability period, making the contractor legally responsible for repairing the damage at its own expense. A formal notice has reportedly been sent to the contractor, Prakash Construction.
Local activist Faisal Jawed Yasin claimed that residents had raised concerns about the bridge’s construction quality earlier, but their warnings were allegedly ignored. The incident comes just weeks after a section of the Vikramshila Setu in Bhagalpur collapsed, sparking fresh concerns over bridge safety and infrastructure quality in Bihar.