Part of under-construction bridge collapses in India for 2nd time in a year, no casualties

By INDRAJIT SINGH
Associated Press

PATNA, India (AP) — An Indian state government has ordered a probe into the collapse of a portion of an under-construction bridge over the Ganges River over the weekend, the second time the structure has crashed in a year. No casualties were reported with no movement of people or vehicles on the bridge when nearly 820 feet of the concrete surface connecting pillars crashed into the river on Sunday. A portion of the bridge on the other side collapsed in April last year. Bihar state’s top elected official, Nitish Kumar, said those found responsible will be punished. India’s infrastructure has long been marred by safety concerns, sometimes leading to major disasters on highways and bridges. Builders often use poor quality construction materials to cut costs.