Sick bridge over the Jamuna

Photo: STAR

IT was indeed a long cherished dream of millions that materialised in 1998 when the 4.8 kilometer long Jamuna multipurpose bridge was opened to traffic after a long, tortuous course of studies, discourses, financial implications, engineering calculations and, finally, the gruelling phase of implementation. The two parts of the country were united through a direct road and railway link, and the transmission of gas, electricity and tele-communication facilities between the parts became far easier.
About 4,53,000 vehicles plied over the bridge during 2006-07; every day 18 trains roll over its rail tracks. Revenue worth Tk. 180 crore was added to the government exchequer in 2004-05. Both traffic and revenue are on the increase. The dream bridge has really generated a revolution in our social and economic sectors.
But the rude awakening came within a short period of its exuberant inauguration. The bridge was built at a cost of Tk 4,000 crore, with an expected service life of 100 years. In 2006, several cracks were detected across its north lanes, which later expanded to the south lanes as well. The number of cracks has exceeded one thousand, and they are widening alarmingly. Many nuts and bolts used for holding the expansion joints of the bridge have come off, and experts opine that four out of the eight expansion joints are already in bad shape. In plain terms, the bridge is slowly and steadily approaching a very risky and painful end. We'll not be surprised if closure of the bridge is declared in greater public interest.
As it happens in all such cases, the blame is being tossed from end to end. Our experts argue that it is design fault that lies at the bottom of the crisis, and the Korean construction firm Hyundai was held responsible. The firm reacted sharply, saying there was no fault in design or construction. Was not the design approved by our experts and policy makers? It was a massive project with a number of prominent donors involved. Was there no national body of experts to oversee and supervise how the contractor was carrying out his assigned duty? Had there been any glitch in design detected during the implementation process, which could not be corrected and modified on the spot? I'm afraid, the beneficiary's end can't escape responsibility on the feeble excuse of contractual agreement.
Some hold that the cracks developed due to the vibration caused by trains. The speed has since been restricted to 20km per hour for trains crossing the bridge. Heavily overloaded trucks cause the same harm to the bridge structure. Weight restriction has been imposed, but how far that is complied with is a matter of investigation. It has also been stated that the absence of some special chemical coating on the surface played a negative role in temperature tolerance, which helped the development of the cracks.
We do not know much about the engineering complexities involved in such super-bridges but there must be countless in-built factors based on mathematical accuracy, hydrology, perfection of piling and RCC structures, auxiliary imperatives, updated river training technology, and the like. A team of highly competent experts from home and abroad may immediately be deployed to determine the causes that led to the present situation, and suggest measures to stem further deterioration that is continuing apace. The government has to act quickly on the recommendations to save the major artery of our national economy.
Punitive measures against the offenders are necessary, but the wrong has already been committed and we've been made helpless onlookers. Our dream of turning the JMB into a key segment of the Asian Highway and the Trans-Asian Railway seems to be wavering in uncertainty; the proposed Dhaka-Kolkata direct rail link may also stumble to a halt. People at all levels contributed to Jamuna levy and tax funds to raise the national quota for constructing the bridge. It was a day of pride and triumph for the people when the long cherished dream finally came true. Now, the days of reversal have arrived too early, much to the consternation of all.
Bureaucratic torpor caused an unpardonable delay in adopting firm measures immediately on detection of the cracks in 2006, and that, unquestionably, hastened the rate of deterioration. The bridge has to be saved by all means. Prompt and decisive measures have to be taken without loss of time in order to avoid an irreparable and irreplaceable loss to the nation. Aristotle said: "We cannot learn without pain." For us, it is time to learn.

Mohammed Nawazish is a retired senior civil servant.