Commuters suffer as fallen bridge not rebuilt

Thousands of commuters travelling by bus and other vehicles are facing problem as an iron bridge that collapsed at Mathbaria upazila in the district last month has not been rebuilt.

As a result, vehicles carrying passengers and goods from different parts of the country, including Dhaka, cannot cross the area.

The bridge over Gudighata canal on Pirojpur-Mathbaria road collapsed on June 15 when two stone-laden trucks got on the bridge at the same time. The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) has removed the iron body of the bridge.

Under an alternative arrangement, now the vehicles have to go via Gudighata Bazar, which is six kilometres from Mathbaria upazila headquarters.

Visiting the spot yesterday, this correspondent saw a large number of buses and other vehicles coming from different parts of the country parked on the roadside. "Now we have to face troubles to move the buses," said Babul Sheikh, a bus driver.

Buses are kept waiting in line at Gudighata Bazar under an alternative arrangement as the vehicles cannot cross the canal at the bridge collapse spot. PHOTO: STAR

"Before the bridge collapsed, we could get on a bus from Mathbaria to go to Khulna, Barisal, Pirojpur or Bhandaria. But now we have to go six kilometres using another vehicle to get on a bus," said Shafikul Islam, a passenger.

Passengers coming from the opposite side, including Pirojpur, have to get down at Gudighata Bazar and get on another vehicle to go to Mathbaria, paying much more fare.

"As no boats ply on the canal, we will make a culvert there," said Md Fazle Rabbi, executive engineer of Pirojpur RHD office.

Locals alleged that although the bridge was risky, RHD never put up any signboard marking with warning message.

It was done after the bridge collapsed, they added.