'Reconstruct Noyakandi concrete bridge'
Vehicles including bus and truck ply across the bailey bridge set up on a collapsed concrete one at Noyakandi in Manikganj every day, taking risk of accident. Locals demand construction of a concrete bridge at the site as it links Manikganj with Dhaka via Hemayetpur and Singair.Photo: STAR
Hundreds of people brought out a procession and held rally at Noyakandi Bazar on Wednesday afternoon demanding re-construction of the concrete bridge that collapsed 15 years ago. Noyakandi bridge is very important as it links Manikganj with capital Dhaka via Hemayetpur and Singair, local people said at the rally adding that it also reduces 20 kilometre distance between Dhaka and Manikganj. The authorities did not take any initiative to build the bridge. The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) only set up a bailey bridge on the collapsed bridge at that time, they said. Two vehicles from opposite directions can not cross each other as the bridge is very narrow resulting in huge traffic jam on both sides of the bridge everyday. No trawler or cargo vessel can ply under the bridge in the rainy season, they pointed out. Besides, vehicles including bus and truck often fall into the canal from both ends of the bridge because of steep slope, they said. Many people were killed while several others left physically disabled due to accidents, they added. Magreb Ali, an auto rickshaw driver of Noyakandi village, said seven passengers were injured as their tempo fell into the canal from the end of the bridge last week. Idris Ali, a staff of Manikganj municipality, said one person was killed and 10 others injured when a banana laden truck fell into the canal in June. Barek Shikdar of Noyakandi said, a trader of Gobindal village of Singair was killed when an ash laden truck fell into water a few months ago. Ismail Hossain, a hotel boy at Noyakandi Bazar, urging the authorities concerned to build the important bridge, said the people of the market fear that their vehicles may fall into the water at any time during night. Executive Engineer of Manikganj Roads & Highways Department Md Sobuj Uddin, who joined just three months ago, said he would try his best to get a work order for reconstruction of the bridge soon.
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