Bhopal, February 22 – Madhya Pradesh Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Rakesh Singh said on Monday that strict action will be taken in connection with the collapse of the railway overbridge, including blacklisting the contractor, initiating action against officials found responsible, and filing an FIR against those accountable.
Describing the incident as unacceptable, Minister Singh said that accountability would be fixed and necessary punitive measures would be implemented to prevent such incidents from recurring.
A portion of the railway overbridge on National Highway-45 near Shahpura in the Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh collapsed on Sunday evening during ongoing maintenance work, severely disrupting traffic on the key Jabalpur–Bhopal route.
The incident occurred around 5 p.m. when a section of the approach road to the rail overbridge caved in.
One part of the structure had reportedly been damaged earlier, with one of the supporting pillars showing signs of sinking, which had prompted repair and maintenance activities at the site.
While repair work was underway on one portion of the structure, an adjacent section suddenly gave way, forcing authorities to completely close the affected stretch of the highway as a precautionary measure.
No casualties were reported in the incident.
However, the collapse has raised serious concerns regarding infrastructure quality, safety standards, and supervision of public works projects in the state.
Speaking to media persons in Bhopal, the Public Works Department Minister said that the railway overbridge had been constructed by the Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation (MPRDC).
He said that the construction agency was carrying out repair work on one section when the portion collapsed during the maintenance process.
Minister Singh emphasised that the contractor's liability period had not yet expired, indicating that the contractor would be held accountable for structural defects and failures occurring within the stipulated defect liability period.
He said that strict administrative and legal action would be initiated, including blacklisting the contractor and initiating proceedings against officials responsible for lapses in supervision or quality control.
The bridge collapse has triggered criticism and raised questions about construction standards, quality assurance mechanisms, and maintenance practices in infrastructure projects across Madhya Pradesh.
Local residents and commuters expressed concern and frustration over repeated infrastructure failures, saying that such incidents disrupt daily life, affect transport connectivity, and cause economic losses.
Authorities have diverted traffic through alternative routes to minimise inconvenience to commuters while ensuring public safety.
Meanwhile, officials from the Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation and the Public Works Department are jointly assessing the damage and coordinating restoration work to reopen the affected highway stretch at the earliest.
A technical inquiry has been initiated to determine the exact cause of the bridge collapse, including possible structural weaknesses, material defects, or lapses in monitoring and execution during maintenance work.
The incident adds to growing concerns over infrastructure safety and highlights the need for stringent quality control, accountability, and regular structural audits of bridges and public works projects.
In a separate statement, PWD Minister Singh also referred to Madhya Pradesh receiving the Krishi Karman Award for agricultural performance and dismissed recent farmer protests and criticism from the Congress as "politically motivated".
He said that Madhya Pradesh has consistently recorded strong agricultural output and said that the protests lacked substantive grounds.
PWD Minister Singh alleged that the protests were politically driven and asserted that the state's agricultural performance reflects the state government's commitment to farmers' welfare.
His remarks come amid an ongoing political debate, with opposition parties accusing the state government of neglecting core governance and infrastructure issues while highlighting achievements in agriculture.