2 bridges: Built a year ago, still no approach roads

Two bridges over the Jinjiram and Dharani rivers in Kurigram's Roumari upazila lie almost unused for the last one year due to lack of approach roads on both sides of the structures.

As a result, commuters are facing immense problem, said locals, adding that they are now crossing the bridges amid risk of accident.

According to the Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED) in Roumari upazila office,

construction of the 85-metre-long bridge over the Jinjiram river in Izlamari area of the upazila has been completed at a cost of Tk 4.80 crore  under LGED's RDIIP-2 project.

On the other hand, construction of a 66-metre-long bridge over the Dharani river in Baraibari area has been completed at a cost of Tk 2.70 crore under the Enclave Development Project. However, the approach roads on both sides of the bridges are yet to be built.

Ruhul Amin, a former lawmaker from Roumari, said he had planned to build bridges over the two rivers in 2017 considering people's sufferings in the area.

Construction of the bridges has also been completed on time but the roads connecting the two bridges have not been built yet due to mysterious reasons.

LGED authorities and local public representatives are responsible for the delay in construction of the approach roads of the two bridges, he alleged.

Despite repeated pleas, the LGED authorities are yet to take any steps to build the approach roads, said Ruhul.

Locals said there are two camps of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), five government primary schools, two secondary high schools and three Hafezia madrasas on either side of the bridges. The road from Roumari upazila headquarters connects the road of historic Baraibari village through Izlamari.

Every day thousands of people use this road connecting the bridges.

Local businessman Nur Amin, 55, blamed the contractor and LGED authorities for the delay in building the approach roads connecting the bridges.

Due to this, the villagers are suffering a lot.

Mezbah-ul Haq, engineer of Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED) in Roumari upazila, said the bridges over the Jinjiram and Dharani rivers were constructed a few months ago.

The construction of the approach roads will be completed within the next two months, said the engineer.