Thousands await repair of damaged road for years
Flash floods from upstream damaged approach roads of two bridges years ago -- first one four years ago while the other over a year ago, but the authorities concerned are yet to take any steps to relieve sufferings of thousands.
Both the bridges are on Barkhapon-Gutura road in Barkhapon union under Kalmakanda upazila of Netrakona. The road leads to Netrakona district headquarters through Thakurakona.
AKM Hadisuzzaman Hadis, chairman of Barkhapon Union Parishad, told this correspondent that the road is used every day by around 15,000 inhabitants of a number of unions in Kalmakanda upazila, Asma and Chiram unions in Barhatta upazila and Paikoraty and Madhyanagar unions in Dharamapasha upazila of Sunamganj.
At least 400 students of different educational institutions use the unsafe approach roads to cross the bridges every day, said Kajal Talukder, a human rights activist from Ranagaon village.
The approach road to 40-foot-long Ranagaon bridge, built in 1995 over Ranagaon canal, was damaged about four years ago, said Akkas Mia, a member of Barkhapon Union Parishad.
A section of the other approach road, connecting 60-metre-long Barkhapon bridge on the Gonai river, sustained damage more than a year ago, the chairman of Barkhapon Union Parishad said.
“We asked officials at Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED) a number of times to repair the approach road, but no steps were taken yet [in this regard],” he added.
The bridge had a price tag of around Tk 3 crore when it was constructed in 2011 under ‘Haor Infrastructure and Livelihood Improvement Project’ of LGED.
Many locals speaking with this correspondent expressed frustration over the LGED officials’ callous indifference to the plight of the people.
Johirul Haque Jibon, president of Awami League’s Barkhapon union unit, said thanks to the dilapidated condition of the approach roads, heavier vehicles can no longer cross the bridges.
Aside from the approach roads, four bridges, including Barkhapon and Ranagaon, on Barkhapon-Gutura road are also in a run-down state.
The other two risky bridges are on Udaypur and Joypur canals, said Barkhapon Union Parishad Member Akkas Mia.
Contacted, Imran Hossain, LGED sub-assistant engineer in Kalmakanda, said out of the four risky bridges, only Barkhapon bridge is under the LGED while the other three were constructed under different projects.
Kalmakanda Upazila Nirbahi Officer Zakir Hossain said he was aware of the poor state the bridges were in.
They were awaiting final approval of an LGED priority project, under which the four bridges would be reconstructed and the road would be widened, he also said.
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