Patna: Four workers sustained injuries after an iron angle attached to a Cantilever Form Traveller (CFT) machine fell on them during construction work at the Bakhtiyarpur–Tajpur four-lane bridge in Samastipur district on Saturday morning. The incident occurred near Matior village under Mohanpur police station area, temporarily halting work at the site.Construction was underway on Pillar P-38 when the accident took place. Initial reports suggested that the bridge’s centering structure had collapsed. However, the road construction department later clarified that the mishap was caused by a technical fault in the CFT machine being used at the site.According to the department, a component of the machine malfunctioned, causing the tray installed beneath it to tilt. The resulting impact injured four workers, who were immediately taken for treatment and admitted to Patori sub-divisional hospital. Department officials said the injured workers are receiving proper medical care and that their condition is being closely monitored.Patori DSP Birendra Kumar Medhavi told this newspaper that an iron angle linked to the construction equipment suddenly fell during the work, injuring the construction workers. He said the exact cause of the accident is being investigated.Following the incident, police and senior officials reached the site, and work was temporarily suspended. The road construction department said a technical inspection was carried out and repair work at the affected location began immediately.In a statement, the department said the state govt and the road construction department consider the safety and well-being of workers their highest priority. It reiterated its commitment to maintaining construction quality, ensuring worker safety and completing the Bakhtiyarpur–Tajpur bridge project within the stipulated timeframe.The Bakhtiyarpur–Tajpur four-lane bridge, also known as the Magadh–Mithila Bridge, is a key infrastructure project across the Ganga. Once completed, it is expected to improve connectivity between north and south Bihar by linking Bakhtiyarpur in Patna district with Tajpur in Samastipur and easing traffic pressure on the Mahatma Gandhi Setu and Rajendra Setu.
