New images reignite debate about bridge collapse between TO and MA The Federal Audit Court (TCU) identified flaws in the planning for the reconstruction of the Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira bridge, which connects the cities of Estreito (MA) and Aguiarnópolis (TO). According to an audit, the work was carried out without a basic project, with a poorly detailed budget and measurement criteria different from those stipulated in the contract. The inspection analyzed the work, contracted on an emergency basis after the collapse of the structure, which occurred in December 2024. The contract, worth R$ 174.3 million, was signed by exemption from bidding. The work was completed in one year. The accident happened on December 22, 2024, just before 3 pm. The central span of the bridge collapsed and collapsed part of the structure, sending several vehicles to the bottom of the Tocantins River. The tragedy left 14 dead, three missing, and one injured. ?Download the g1 app to see MA news in real time and for free According to the audit report, made by Minister Jorge Oliveira, the criteria used to measure and release payments did not follow what was established in the contract. The TCU also pointed out that the budget for the work did not provide sufficient detail and that there was no preparation of a basic project, a document considered essential for defining technical solutions, costs and execution stages in more complex works. The court informed the National Department of Transport Infrastructure (DNIT) about the irregularities found and recommended that the body adopt measures to improve the planning of future emergency contracts for complex works. Among the recommendations is the evaluation of the use of the integrated contracting regime, a model that, according to the TCU, can bring more efficiency and greater clarity in the execution of projects of this type. The audit also reinforced the need for payments to be linked to the services actually performed, in addition to increasing transparency and traceability of information related to the execution of works. TCU points out flaws in the reconstruction work on the bridge between MA and TO Jornal Nacional/ Reproduction Remember the accident The bridge collapsed at around 2:50 pm on December 22, 2024. During the collapse, three motorcycles, a car, two pickup trucks and four trucks fell into the Tocantins River, two of which were carrying 76 tons of sulfuric acid and the other two were carrying 22 thousand liters of agricultural pesticides. Before the bridge fell, residents of Tocantins and Maranhão alerted authorities about the situation of the structure. The fall happened at the exact moment that the councilor of Aguiarnópolis, Elias Júnior (Republicans), was filming the place to denounce the problems with the bridge. What remained of the bridge underwent an implosion in February 2025. Shortly after the procedure, work on the new structure that passes along the BR-226 highway began. The new bridge was inaugurated on December 22, 2025. The JK Bridge had been built in 1960 and had been the target of complaints from users for years. The last major renovation of the structure took place between 1998 and 2000. The Federal Police report pointed out that the fall was caused by the deformation of the central span, caused by the excess weight of the vehicles. Image from the truck camera records the moment the JK bridge collapsed in Aguiarnópolis Full text of the DNIT note The DNIT informs that the demands related to compensation arising from the collapse of the Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge, which occurred between Estreito (MA) and Aguiarnópolis (TO), in December 2024, are currently in court. There are several lawsuits in progress, filed by individuals, public entities — such as the Public Ministry — and civil society organizations. In these demands, different types of compensation are discussed, including material damages, moral damages, loss of profits and possible environmental damages. In this context, initiatives aimed at carrying out joint efforts are being discussed with the Federal Court with a focus on finding consensual solutions, with the aim of providing greater speed and effectiveness to responses to affected families. There is also the possibility of concluding agreements, observing the procedures and criteria established in Ordinance No. 498/AGU, based on the analysis of the legal and administrative feasibility of the proposals presented by the parties involved. At the moment, it is not possible to establish a general forecast for the payment of compensation. In the case of legal actions, eventual payments will depend on the regular progress of the proceedings and will occur through judicial requests, such as court orders or RPVs (Small Value Requests), after a final decision. The conduct of legal demands involves the actions of the Attorney General's Office (AGU), through the DNIT and the municipality's judicial representation bodies, in conjunction with the DNIT and other competent bodies. Interested families must monitor the progress of their cases through their lawyers, in the case of individual actions, or through the Public Prosecutor's Office and representative associations, in collective actions. Finally, it should be noted that there are several ongoing legal actions on the subject, in different procedural phases — including the initial phase, production of evidence, judicial analysis and attempts at conciliation —, which reinforces the complexity of the case and the need for individualized treatment of demands.