Three crumbling bridges posing threat to community

The three out of the five Bailey bridges, constructed in the 90s, on Kalihati-Borochowna road in Kalihati upazila are now in a ramshackle state.

Around 3,000 vehicles of all sorts, from motorbikes to heavy trucks, cross the bridges every day. Moreover, several thousand students from at least 12 educational institutions, including Kalihati RS Pilot High School and Shahjahan Siraj College, use these bridges several times a day. 

A fatal accident is waiting to happen any moment and the authorities need to take swift measures to repair the bridges urgently, said concerned citizens in the area.           

One of three dilapidated bridges is in Meghakhali area, built on the Jhinai river in Sadar upazila. The other two – in Haripur and Rajafoir -- are also on the same river.

The steel span of the Meghakhali bridge is damaged in at least three places, while that in the Haripur bridge caved in at several spots. Almost half of the joints holding the metal sheets on the Rajafoir bridge are falling apart.  

Tailbacks near the bridges have become a common occurrence during most parts of the day as vehicles have to move at an exceedingly slow pace while crossing those.              

During a recent visit, this correspondent saw long queues of vehicles, including cargo vehicles loaded with essentials and agricultural goods, on the three risky bridges. A large number of pedestrians were also seen crossing the bridges. 

Mohammad Rezwan, a resident of Pachh Joair village and a seventh grader at Kalihati RS Pilot High School, said students of his school have to use the bridges when the school is open.

It is a frightening ordeal to cross the risky bridges and the students often get late for their class due to traffic congestion on both sides of the bridges, he also said.  

Battery operated auto-rickshaw driver Abdul Halim said the condition of the Haripur bridge is the worst.

On many occasions, passengers of his vehicle have to get off and push the vehicle when it gets stuck in the subsided sections on the bridge, he added.  

The bridges were repaired a few times before, but their condition deteriorated again. Now minor accidents are happening on the bridges every now and then, but a fatal one might happen any moment, said Mohammad Helal, a resident of Rajafoir village.

Truck driver Nazrul Islam frequents the bridges to deliver different goods in the region. He said people have to risk their lives as well as property while crossing these bridges.

The bridge at Haripur ran down a while ago and the other two, at Meghakhali and Rajafoir, became rickety not too long ago, he added.

Rice mill owner Abdul Jabbar said mill owners and rice traders in the area have been facing difficulty in hiring transportation for their goods at reasonable rates as most truck operators are reluctant to risk their vehicles due to the deplorable condition of the three bridges on the route.

All the three bridges now need to be replaced with modern and wide concrete bridges in the greater interest of people's safety and development of the region, he also said.   

Contacted, Zahir Mehedi Hasan, engineer of Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED) in Kalihati, said they have been unable to repair the three bridges due to unavailability of spare parts and supplies required for a Bailey bridge. 

Despite the fact, the LGED will seek support from Roads and Highways Department for the repair work as soon as possible.

In the meantime, the LGED has sent a proposal to the authorities concerned for the conversion of 19 Bailey bridges, including the three on Kalihati-Borochowna road, in Kalihati upazila into concrete bridges, he added.