Road without repair, bridges without approach roads
A man struggles to carry his bicycle onto the incomplete bridge at Nolsea on Nalka-Shahebganj road in Raniganj upazila of Sirajganj district, left, two men cross a canal at Chaksujadpur beside the bridge that remains totally unusable due to absence of approach roads.Photo: STAR
Five bridges on five-kilometre Nalka-Shahebganj road have remained a nuisance for people of 11 villages in Raiganj upazila of Sirajganj as no approach roads have been constructed to make them usable. Left without any repair since its construction 20 years ago, the road itself is now in a dilapidated. The people of Nalka, Panchilia, Chakipara, Nolsia, Suzapur, Chakmonarpur, Hatkanda, Horgati, Ratankandi, Raninagor, Kumazpur, Gabindapur, Faridpur, Tinnandina, Muradpur and Shahebganj villages in Raiganj upazila depend on Nalka-Shahebganj road for communication, locals said. Five bridges were constructed on the 5-km road spending Tk 3 crore under the supervision of Local Government Engineering Department and local government bodies during the last BNP-led alliance rule but no approach roads were built to connect the bridges. Had there been no bridges, the Nalka-Shahebganj road could be used, albeit with problem, but construction of the bridges without approach roads has made it all the more difficult for the villagers to use the important road, they alleged. Under the project taken to construct five bridges, LGED built a 54-metre bridge over Sureswari River at Muradpur at a cost of Tk 81 lakh but no approach road was built. During a recent visit to Nalka-Shahebganj road, this correspondent saw that pedestrians were crossing the bridge area using a makeshift bamboo structure while many others were using alternative ways. People are not getting any benefit from the bridges and the road is in a bad shape, said Rafiqul Islam Dilzu, former vice-president of the governing bodies of Muradpur Technical College and Muradpur Fazil Madrasa. Villagers are facing serious problems in transporting their produces like paddy and vegetables to local markets or towns for sale while sick people heading to hospitals suffer most, he said. "The bridges were built in an unplanned way during the BNP rule. The contractors, allegedly favoured by the then BNP lawmaker, made huge money through corruption and irregularities during construction of the five bridges," said Asraf Ali, former chairman of Nalka Union Parishad and president of union unit of Awami League. When contacted, LGED Executive Engineer Abdur Rashid Mian said, "LGED constructed the 54-metre-long bridge over the Sureswari River at a cost of Tk 81 lakh. Approach road on both sides of the bridge could not be constructed as a case was lodged following a feud over land of the approach road." The local administration has sent a letter to the authorities concerned seeking fund to repair the road, but to no effect, said Raiganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Abdul Ahad.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments