<i>Another bailey bridge collapses</i>
Left in a decrepit condition for long, this bailey bridge at Thakurakona on Netrakona-Mohanganj road collapsed under the pressure of a truck yesterday.Photo: STAR
Road communication of the district with eight upazilas and rest of the country was disrupted as a 120-meter long bailey bridge on the Kongsha river at Thakurakona under Sadar upazila collapsed yesterday morning. The situation has caused untold sufferings to a large number of people including officials, businessmen and students. Those who used to travel the road regularly are now crossing the Kangsho by country boats. Sources at Roads and Highways Department (RHD) and locals said, the bridge collapsed with two over-loaded trucks when the trucks were crossing the bridge. The railings, pillars and floors of the bridge declared unfit for vihicular movement five years ago, were totally worn out, the sources added. An amount of Tk 4.53cr was allocated for repair and renovation of the bridge and a contractor was assigned by the authorities to do the work. But the contractor could not start the work due to the reason unknown, they said. Contacted, an official of the RHD told the correspondent that pedestrians and the home-bound people rushing from different areas of the country to celebrate Eid at their villages were facing seroius troubles due to disruption of the road communication. We are trying to introduce ferry service on the river Kangso to alleviate their sufferings, he said. Earlier, a bailey bridge, which was declared unfit for movement of heavy vehicles three years ago, collapsed on the night of October 30 in Kalmakanda upazila. The 75-metre-long bridge over a canal at Pasura collapsed when a goods-laden truck was passing through it at around 10:00pm. Local people said they face immense trouble due to disruption of road communication between the upazila and the district town. A large number of people, who use this bridge to travel on Kalmakanda-Netrakona road, are now crossing the canal by boats.
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