Days after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated the latest section of Patna’s JP Ganga Path on April 10, the project has drawn criticism over alleged cracks near pillar A-3 on the Didarganj side. The recorded video, which has now gone viral on social media, shows gaps in the structure, sparking public concern about the construction quality.
Responding to the matter, Bihar Road Construction Minister Nitin Nabin and the Bihar State Road Development Corporation Limited (BSRDCL) clarified that these were not structural cracks, but expansion joint gaps designed to accommodate temperature-related movements.
“There are no cracks in the bridge. Our team, including BSRDCL’s CGM, checked the site yesterday (Sunday)… It’s an expansion joint, not a crack… There’s no technical issue. I’ve instructed the CGM to submit a detailed report by tomorrow (Tuesday) evening, and I will personally inspect the bridge tomorrow,” the minister said.
BSRDCL MD Shirsat Kapil Ashok said that a 10 mm gap was purposefully left between the dirt wall and the main bridge on the Didarganj approach to allow for expansion and contraction. The filler material in the joint had become dislodged and has since been refilled.
“Corrective measures are underway, including an internal probe and a third-party safety audit as mandated by the state’s Road Construction Department. A bridge maintenance policy is also being formulated,” he said.
The JP Ganga Path is a 20.5-km expressway along the southern bank of the Ganga, linking Digha in the west to Didarganj in the east. Its foundation was laid in 2013 in memory of Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan. Developed in four phases at a cost of Rs 3,831 crore, the road aims to ease traffic congestion in Patna and connect key structures like JP Setu and Mahatma Gandhi Setu.
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