The high court on Monday directed the government to file a counter-affidavit on the collapse of a bridge, ahead of its inauguration in Muzaffarpur, on August 30 last year.

Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam completed construction of the Basghatta bridge over the Bagmati last year at an estimated cost of Rs 8 crore.

Petitioner Jitendra Kumar Singh alleged that the bridge was built in haste and with substandard raw materials. He has requested the court to fix responsibility for the collapse of the bridge.

Principal additional advocate-general Lalit Kishore on Monday told the court that five engineers had been suspended. The bench has directed the government to file the counter-affidavit by September 7.