Serious concerns over the quality of public infrastructure have emerged in Chhattisgarh after a newly inaugurated railway overbridge in Rajnandgaon developed a massive crack following the season's first heavy rainfall. The Barga Railway Overbridge, opened to traffic just around two weeks ago, split across its surface with a 60–70-foot-long crack measuring nearly 10–12 centimetres wide, prompting safety concerns among local residents.

Another newly built overbridge at Aliwara also suffered damage after heavy rain, with portions of the approach road washing away, boundary structures collapsing and the bridge base reportedly subsiding at multiple locations. Barricades have been placed around the affected areas to restrict movement.

Both railway overbridges, constructed between Rajnandgaon and Dongargarh at a reported cost of around ₹22 crore, were inaugurated in June and opened for public use only recently.

Villagers Raise Questions Over Construction Quality

Residents gathered at the Barga overbridge after noticing the widening crack and accused authorities of poor construction quality. Several villagers alleged that inferior construction materials may have been used and questioned whether the bridge foundation had been properly prepared.

Some locals claimed that the cement appeared to be of poor quality, while gravel and asphalt could reportedly be removed by hand from portions of the road surface. Villagers also alleged that despite informing officials about the damage, no senior railway or district administration officer immediately visited the site.

Railway Orders Technical Inspection

Responding to the incident, Mithilesh Kumar, Assistant Engineer with the Gondia Railway Division, said a technical team and bridge designers would inspect the structure.

He stated that the affected portion would be rectified and suggested the issue could be linked to initial soil settlement after rainfall. According to him, the railway administration is taking all necessary precautions and a detailed assessment will determine the required corrective measures.

Meanwhile, Rajendra Singh Ghai, Director of Ghai Construction Pvt. Ltd., the company that executed the project, maintained that there is no risk of the bridge collapsing. He said the visible damage was due to normal settling of the soil rather than any structural failure.

Another Bridge Damaged in Korba

In a separate incident, a culvert built over Joginala in Bhaisamuda village of Korba district also suffered major damage after heavy rain.

The structure, reportedly constructed at a cost of nearly ₹3 crore, partially collapsed as strong water flow washed away one section of the culvert, leaving deep craters on the road and disrupting traffic.

Villagers alleged that complaints regarding irregularities during construction had been ignored by authorities. They further claimed that no information board displaying details of the executing agency, contractor or project cost had been installed at the site, raising questions about transparency.

According to village sarpanch Anand Binjhwar, the culvert was completed less than a year ago and failed during its first major monsoon spell.

Calls for Investigation Grow

The back-to-back incidents have triggered fresh demands for an independent inquiry into the quality of recently completed infrastructure projects in the state.

Residents have urged the government and concerned departments to conduct a technical audit of the damaged structures, fix accountability if construction defects are established, and ensure public safety before allowing traffic on the affected bridges.

Authorities are expected to assess the extent of damage before deciding on repair work and further action.