'Hawa Dhundh..': Nitin Gadkari amazed by IAS officer's reason for Sultanganj bridge collapse
Addressing an event, Gadkari said, "A bridge fell in Bihar on April 29. I asked my secretary about the reasons. He said it was because of "Hawa dhundh" (strong winds) "aur bridge gir gaye"."
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New Delhi, May 10: Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari expressed his surprise at the statement of an IAS officer who blamed "strong winds" for the collapse of a portion of an under-construction road bridge in Bihar's Sultanganj.
On April 29, a portion of the Sultanganj bridge in Bihar collapsed injuring no one. Sultanganj MLA Lalit Narayan Mandal had earlier said CM Nitish Kumar has ordered an investigation into the bridge collapse.
Addressing an event of CSIR-CRRI in New Delhi, he, "A bridge fell in Bihar on April 29. I asked my secretary about the reasons. He said it was because of 'Hawa dhundh' (strong winds) 'aur bridge gir gaye' (and the bridge fell off)." Laughing at his secretary's response, Gadkari further added, "I told him, 'You are an IAS officer and still believe in things like 'Hawa aur dhundh' caused the bridge to collapse."
Gadkari further said, "I cannot understand how can a bridge collapse due to strong winds," adding further about bridge collapse, he said, "There must be some error." Speaking about how the infrastructure should be constructed in the country, Gadkari said, "We must now go in the direction of perfection without compromising on the quality. Importance should be on making best quality while using low-cost materials," he said.
On April 29, a portion of the Sultanganj bridge in Bihar collapsed injuring no one. Sultanganj MLA Lalit Narayan Mandal had earlier said CM Nitish Kumar has ordered an investigation into the bridge collapse.
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"The possibility of using sub-standard materials in the construction of the bridge cannot be ruled out ... It is a matter of investigation that the under-construction bridge being built at a cost of ₹1,710 crores could not withstand strong gusty winds," he had said.