Patna: A birthday celebration on a bridge that has never been opened to the public has left many in Bihar asking the same question how did a family gain access to a structure that authorities have kept shut over safety concerns?
The incident came to light after a video of the celebration went viral on social media. It showed a family decorating the bridge with balloons, cutting a birthday cake and posing for photographs on the nearly empty stretch. What was meant to be a private celebration soon turned into a public debate, with many questioning both the bridge’s prolonged closure and the apparent lack of security at the site.
The bridge, built at a reported cost of around rs 26 crore, has remained closed despite construction being completed. Authorities have cited safety related concerns and have not yet allowed traffic to use the structure until necessary inspections and corrective measures are completed.
As the video spread online, reactions poured in. Many users expressed disbelief that people could walk onto a bridge that has been declared unfit for public use. Others questioned why a major infrastructure project funded with public money has remained inaccessible for so long, while also pointing to what appeared to be inadequate security around the site.
The incident has added to the scrutiny surrounding infrastructure projects in Bihar, where delays in opening completed bridges and roads have frequently attracted public attention. Residents and commentators argued that if the bridge is unsafe for vehicles, unrestricted public access should also not have been possible.
Officials are expected to examine how the family entered the restricted area and whether there was any lapse in security. The episode has also prompted calls for tighter monitoring of government infrastructure that has not yet been commissioned, both to prevent unauthorized access and to avoid potential accidents.
So far, authorities have not announced any action against those seen in the viral video. It also remains unclear whether an inquiry into the security breach has been ordered.
While the birthday celebration lasted only a short time, the questions it has raised are likely to linger much longer. For many, the viral video has become less about an unusual party and more about the condition, security and timely completion of public infrastructure projects built with taxpayers money.
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