Bridge not opened in 3 years as approach road incomplete
This bridge over Kumer River in Shailkupa upazila of Jhenidah district has remained virtually unusable even after three years of its construction due to lack of an approach road and wing walls. Photo: STAR
The bridge over Kumar River in Shailokupa has not been opened for the public even three years after the completion of construction work. Construction authority said the absence of wing walls and connection of the approach roads with the bridge were mainly responsible for the situation. The earth pilings supposed to serve as connecting roads, were also damaged by rainfall. Many small and large cracks have developed on both sides of the bridge. As the soil from the pillars of the bridge gets eroded, the whole bridge might be damaged, experts fear. The bridge would ease traffic jam in Shailokupa town as well as improve the traffic movement on Jhenidah-Magura, Jhenidah-Rajbari and several other routes. The Local Government Engineering Department constructed the 150metre bridge at a cost of Tk 3.84crore during the 2006-2007 fiscal year. Mizanur Rahman was selected as the contractor under the Shailokupa-Hatfazilpur Connecting Road project. It is alleged that Mizanur Rahman has influence with the ruling party and he has been delaying the work on the bridge despite repeatedly urge by the local government. However, the Upazila Engineer for Shoilokupa Shamsur Rahman said," Since the connecting roads were not completed, the contractor has not been paid his final bill yet." Vegetable trader Mokles Ali of Habibpur village said that crossing the bridge becomes especially dangerous during the rainy season, as the wings are still incomplete. Another villager Aslam Sheikh of the same village said, "Using the bridge inattentively could cause major accidents. It is like a death trap." Upazila Chairman Nayeb Ali Joarder expressed ignorance in this regard. He added that he would visit the bridge soon and then tell the upazila engineer to take necessary action. Executive Engineer of the LGED Tamjid Sarwar said, "The contractor has already handed over the bridge to us. But it could not be opened as the connecting road and the wing wall of the bridge were not complete". He added that his department was trying to open the bridge for the public within a month or two, and complete the wing wall by December this year.
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