Mahatma Gandhi Setu: BJP hits back at Bihar government

PATNA: BJP today hit back at ruling JD(U) over the "perilous" condition of Mahatma Gandhi Setu, saying the state government was responsible for its present state.

Refuting Bihar Road Construction Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh's charge yesterday that the Centre was responsible for dilapidation of the bridge as it was a NHAI asset, BJP's Sushil Kumar Modi said the state government was responsible for repair of this major link between north and south Bihar.

"Is it not a fact that the state government has been carrying out repair works on the Mahatma Gandhi Setu since 2001-02 with central funds?" Sushil Modi asked.

The state government can not pass the buck on the Centre for its deterioration after carrying out repair works since 2001-02 for which funds were provided by successive governments, he said.

The JD(U)-led state government always knew about acute condition of the bridge for which it could have taken remedial measures like banning movement of heavy vehicles and regulating vehicular traffic, but it did not do so initially and took a concrete decision only after the bridge condition reached an alarming level, the senior BJP leader said.

Modi further claimed that no proposal from Bihar government was pending with the Centre over maintenance of the bridge, but the latter will extend all possible cooperation in this regard.