Patna’s ambitious ₹422 crore double-decker flyover, inaugurated less than two months ago, has developed visible cracks after the city’s first major monsoon spell. The damage has sparked criticism and raised serious concerns about the quality of construction and accountability in public infrastructure projects.

The flyover, the first of its kind in Bihar, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on June 11 with the promise of easing traffic congestion and enhancing urban connectivity. However, a video shared by news agency ANI showed waterlogged portions and multiple cracks on the newly built stretch, sparking outrage on social media and drawing sharp criticism of the Bihar government.

The double-decker flyover, located along Ashoka Rajpath, introduces a three-level traffic system. The first tier (Lower Deck) covers a 1.45 km stretch from Patna College to BN College, while the second tier (Upper Deck) spans 2.2 km from Kargil Chowk to Shatabdi Dwar, passing by Patna Science College. During the inauguration, CM Nitish Kumar had described it as a model project for urban infrastructure and a transformative step for city commuters.

However, after just a few weeks of operation, parts of the flyover have shown signs of wear and tear due to incessant rainfall. Patna has been experiencing heavy rainfall over the past 24 hours, resulting in severe waterlogging in low-lying areas. The India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for several districts, including Patna, Gaya, Jamui, and Aurangabad.

On social media platform X (formerly Twitter), users expressed anger and sarcasm over the flyover's poor durability. “Bihar and corruption? Like a match made in heaven, can’t even think of a breakup,” wrote one user. Another remarked, “Considering the track record, it has outdone itself by surviving nearly 15 days. It should have collapsed in 12 or 13.”

A third user questioned the lack of accountability: “The contractors and those involved will never be held responsible. It’s all taxpayers’ money, but who cares about taxpayers?” With the viral video drawing public ire, demands for a thorough investigation into the construction quality and the responsible parties are growing louder. Meanwhile, the state government has yet to issue an official statement regarding the damage.