Bridge Collapse Incident| 'Shocked': Patna High Court Seeks State Govt's Report, Directs For Presence Of Construction Company's MD

The bench of Justice Purnendu Singh further directed the construction company to submit its study report relating to construction work carried out at the bridge construction site with respect to the following details: –

(i) The total length of the bridge.

(ii) The nature of stream flowing into the site.

(iii) The nature and behaviour of soil strata for foundation.

(iv) The construction problems existing with bridges.

(v) The impact on the environment as a result of collapse.

(vi) Detailed Project Report (D.P.R.) of Bridge constructing planning relating to ground survey including the Geologist certificate giving details of the geo-strata. The report relating to the profile of the Ganga river bed at the site, its rock type and foundation found beneath the site over which the construction of the Bridge has been approved by the Geologist and the Civil Engineer.

(vii) Soil exploration-foundation details submitted by the approved scientific body of the State Government and the Central Government.

(viii) Hydrological data- including design report approved by Central Government Agency and the State Government Agency of the expert of the Indian Institute of Technology.

(ix) Model studies and suitable structure found proper for the construction of Bridge over the location where the bridge is presently being constructed.

(x) Purchase receipt of materials used in the construction work of the Bridge till date.

(xi) GST paid on purchase of materials used in construction work and its return filed for the period 2014 to 2023.

(xii) Fee incurred in obtaining expert reports from different Firm/Agency before starting of the construction work of the Bridge and thereafter from time to time.

(xiii) The Company is also directed to produce audited balance sheet and its annual report submitted before the Registrar of the Company relating to the present project from 2014 till March, 2023.

The court passed this order while dealing with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea filed by one Lalan Kumar seeking an enquiry into the incident by a Sitting Judge of the High Court.

The petitioner also sought a direction to the state government to blacklist the construction company (M/S S.P. Singla) and to pay adequate compensation to the nearest member of the family of a guard of the Pvt. Firm in question.

In its order, the Court also noted that it was concerned to safeguard the interest of the public at large and to prevent the misuse of public money and the exploitation of natural resources in the interest of society and the common people, that had been caused due to the laxity of the authority of the State Government and the Contractor.

Further, the Court directed the State Government to submit its action taken report on the next date of the hearing. The Court has also sought the personal presence of the Managing Director of the construction company with his Expert Team on June 21 at 10.30 A.M.

It may be noted that the Bihar Rajya Pool Nirman Nigam Ltd., after an open bid, handed over the contract for the construction of a four-lane bridge to connect Bhagalpur district and Khagaria district to M/S S.P. Singla Construction Private Ltd.

The estimated cost of construction of the bridge was Rs.1710 crore and the project started in the year, 2014 and was scheduled to be completed in the year, 2019.

As per several new newspaper reports, the cause of the collapse was that the pillars could not support the load of the superstructure.

It was also reported in the newspapers that the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee had submitted its investigation report in which the defects in the design of the bridge have been reported.

Appearances

Counsel for Petitioner: Nagendra Kumar Singh, Chandan Kumar,

Counsel for Respondent: Advocate General PK Shahi, AC to AG Prabhu Narayan Sharma

Case title - Lalan Kumar vs. The State of Bihar

Click Here To Read/Download order