The railway administration has accelerated the repair work on the railway bridge over the Chandan River in Banka district. More than a dozen pillars of the bridge are being fixed on a war footing to ensure safety. This action comes after it was found that the foundations of several pillars had weakened significantly.
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Why was the bridge repair necessary?
The bridge pillars became weak due to the heavy flow of the river and large-scale illegal sand mining from the Chandan River. This caused severe erosion of the riverbed, leaving the basement of some pillars hanging in the air by about 20 feet. To fix this, the railway engineering department is using a special piling technique. They are using strong wooden logs and large stones tied with iron wires to reinforce the foundation.
What is the history and future plan for this bridge?
This bridge on the Banka-Bhagalpur section is a vital link for the region. The current structure was built in 1996 after a British-era iron bridge was destroyed in the 1995 floods. However, movement on the Mahendra Gop Setu part was stopped on May 2, 2020, after it was damaged on January 12, 2020. For a long-term solution, a new high-level bridge is planned at Vasudevpur-Birman. A survey for this 170-meter long bridge was conducted in June 2025 with an estimated cost of approximately 200 crore rupees.
Who is overseeing the current work?
The railway administration and the engineering department are managing the project. Railway Engineer Gautam Kumar stated that the current repair technique will provide extra strength to the pillars. This will reduce the impact of river currents and future erosion. The department is prioritizing the 12 most critical pillars to prevent any risk to train operations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why did the Chandan River bridge pillars become weak?
The pillars weakened due to the strong river current and illegal sand mining, which caused the riverbed to erode and left some basements hanging up to 20 feet.
What is the plan for the new bridge in Banka?
A new high-level bridge of 170 meters is planned at Vasudevpur-Birman with an estimated cost of around 200 crore rupees.