Slow progress in work

Construction work of a bridge over the Swarnamoti river on Lalmonirhat-Burimari Highway in the district is going on at a slow pace.

More than a thousand vehicles, especially loaded trucks, use the risky Bailey bridge beside the under-construction Swarnamoti bridge every day. As construction is progressing slowly, it will not be completed by the deadline of May 15 this year.  

Sources in the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) in Lalmonirhat said the government sanctioned Tk 12.35 crore for constructing the 94-metre-long four-lane bridge in Aditmari upazila. A joint venture firm of PTSL and Zahurul Islam was contracted to construct the bridge with the target of completing it by May, 2017.  A Bailey bridge was set up beside the main bridge for ensuring communication with Burimari land port.

Construction workers said work of the bridge started in May last year and progress during the first four months was good, but it slowed down in the next three months.

“After three months of slow progress, 100 construction workers are working every day since December,” said Nur Islam, 42, a worker.

Villager Mujibur Rahman, 56, said construction of a bridge over the Swarnamoti was their longstanding demand. “We want to see the bridge completed by May this year,” he added.

Narendra Nath Barman, 55, said loaded vehicles face trouble in crossing the risky Bailey bridge as the construction work is going so slowly.

Truck driver Ziaul Islam, 44, of Lalmonirhat town, said he sometimes does not carry goods from Burimari land port for fear of accident on the risky Bailey bridge.

RHD Executive Engineer Sajedur Rahman said construction of Swarnamoti bridge would be completed by May this year and it would be opened for vehicular movement in June, adding that 50 percent of the work has already been done.