Locals looting parts of an unplanned bridge
Labourers engaged by unscrupulous people take away earth from a side of the approach road of this bridge over a canal near Betagir Haat in Dashmina upazila of Patuakhali district. Built in 1997 under a rural development project (RDP-16), the unplanned bridge has remained unused since then.Photo: STAR
Virtually unused for years, an unplanned bridge over a canal near Betagir Haat in Dashmina upazila on Patuakhali-Dashmina road is getting decayed while unscrupulous people are taking away its parts including bars from iron pillars and RCC slabs of the floor. Besides, locals often take away earth from both sides of the approach road of the bridge, making it even more vulnerable. Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) built the bridge in 1997 at a cost of Tk about 18 lakh under a rural development project (RDP-16) funded by DANIDA, a foreign donor agency. Later LGED built a culvert about 200 feet away from the bridge and the culvert started being used to link the road, leaving the bridge unused. In absence of proper supervision and maintenance, parts of iron pillars and RCC slabs of the bridge are being stolen. During a recent visit to the area, this correspondent saw some people taking away earth from the approach road. "It was an unplanned work. Authorities concerned did not communicate with us before making the plan and building the bridge," said Moshiur Rahman Jhantu, chairman of Betagi-Sankipur union parishad. It would serve a good purpose if removable parts of the bridge, like iron pillars and RCC slabs, are separated and used in building a bridge at a suitable place, said Abdul Aziz, chairman of Dashmina upazila parishad. Jotirmoy Chakrabarti, Dashmina upazila engineer for LGED, said, "I joined here very recently and don't know anything about the matter. I will look into the matter soon."
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments