1280km roads, many bridges, culverts damaged by flood

The month-long devastating floods have wreaked havoc on the rural roads and bridges under the Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED) in ten upazilas of the district. LGED has estimated the total damages amounting to Tk 227.95 crore.

The floods strike at the beginning of July due to heavy rainfall and onrush of water from upstream, affecting six out of 12 upazilas in the district. After the first week of July, floodwater started receding.

However, water levels of the major rivers, including Jamuna, in Tangail had started increasing again on July 12, flooding 11 upazilas in the district immediately.   

Due to the prolonged floods, rural roads, bridges and culverts got damaged, disrupting internal road communication and increasing sufferings of people.

Local people, however, said most of these roads, bridges and culverts were left in bad shape earlier as no major renovation work took place. Floodwaters have just washed away those this time. 

According to LGED, at least 305 rural roads and 66 bridges and culverts were damaged fully and partially in 10 out of 11 affected upazilas.

The total length of the damaged roads is estimated as 1280 kilometers while the total length of the damaged bridges and culverts is 2649 metres.

Of the damaged roads, highest 159.44km of 40 roads are in Basail upazila, 159.50km of 35 roads in Nagarpur, 241km of 71 roads in Delduar, 153km of 38 roads in Sadar, 124km of 25 roads in Mirzapur, 150km of 34 roads in Ghatail, 115km of 19 roads in Kalihati, 56km of 25 roads in Bhuapur, 39km of 10 roads in Gopalpur, and 80km of eight roads in Sakhipur upazila.

Of the affected bridges and culverts, highest 1230 metres of five bridges and culverts are in Ghatail, 370 metres of three bridges and culverts in Sadar, 302 metres of 13 bridges and culverts in Delduar, 253 metres of five bridges and culverts in Gopalpur, 185 metres of 11 bridges and culverts in Mirzapur, 125 metres of five bridges and culverts in Kalihati, 56 metres of seven bridges and culverts in Basail, 67 metres of five bridges and culverts in Nagarpur, 35 metres of 10 bridges and culverts in Sakhipur and 23 metres of two bridges and culverts in Bhuapur upazila.

The damages caused by the flood were estimated at 47.64 crore in Kalihati, Tk 34.45 crore in Basail Tk 28.85 crore in Ghatail, 23.59 crore in Mirzapur, 21.23 crore in Sadar, 20.94 in Sakhipur, 19.30 crore in Gopalpur, 17.09 crore in Bhuapur, 10.06 crore in Nagarpur and 4.79 crore in Delduar.

Golam Azam, executive engineer of LGED in Tangail, said rural communication was badly affected due to the prolonged floods of this year. Numerous roads, bridges and culverts have been damaged fully and partially, hampering local road communications.

"We have already estimated the damages and also sent the reports to the higher authorities. We hope we will get necessary funds and start the renovation works as soon as possible," he added.