Bridge lies with no approach roads for 21yrs
A bridge built 21 years ago over a canal at Chilarkandi village in Moulvibazar's Kulaura upazila remains useless as it has no approach roads.
According to the LGED office in Kulaura, the 12 metre-long and six foot-wide bridge was constructed by them on the Bhukmoil-Kadipur road in 1997 to improve transportation for the people of around 30 villages. The cost of construction was estimated at Tk 3.08 lakh back then.
But the approach roads have not been constructed yet, making the bridge useless.
Syed Mahfuz Hamid, a resident of Karera village and founder of Kulaura Problem and Prospect Organisation, said thousands of people, including school and college students, from nearby villages were suffering because of this.
During dry seasons, people walk past the canal under the bridge. During monsoon, however, they have to use inconvenient alternative roads, he added.
Azizur Rahman Monir, chairman of Bhusimoil Union Parishad, said he tried to get funds for different projects in the union but in vain.
“I raised the issue many times at the upazila administration's monthly coordination meeting, but to no avail,” he added.
Ranjan Das of Chilarkandi village said around 1,000 students, mostly girls from different villages, used the road under the bridge to reach their institution in dry seasons.
But in the rainy season they have to walk two to three kilometres extra. He urged the authorities concerned to construct the approach roads immediately.
Md Istiak Hasan, deputy assistant engineer of LGED in Kulaura, said building the approach roads is important for the use of the bridge. He added that they could not construct the approach roads unless the Project Implementation Office filled up the low land to that end.
Kulaura Upazila Parishad Chairman ASM Kamrul Islam told this correspondent that allocations received from the upazila parishad were provided every year. The UPs can repair public roads through maintenance and development programmes, he added.
He said he was aware of the approach road problem and expressed hope that the administration would take immediate steps to solve it.
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