Two Bridges In Awful Condition

Plying of vehicles risky at entrances to Jessore town

16 December 2009, 17:00 PM

A Correspondent, Jessore

Two bridges at Bablatola and Barandipara across Bhairab River at the entrances to Jessore town remain in awfully dilapidated condition. Photo: STAR

A large number of vehicles ply amid risk of accident anytime as two important bridges across Bhairab River at the entrances of Jessore town have remained in an awfully dilapidated condition. The bridges, situated at Bablatola and Barandipara in the town, have to bear the pressure of all the vehicles that come to or pass by the city from 8:00am to 9:00pm have to use the bridges as they are not allowed to ply any other road during the time. Constructed in 1962, the two bridges with 22-metre length and 7-metre width each were designed for vehicles weighing up to eight tonnes but they had to bear as much as 30 tonnes, resulting in shortening of their longevity, said sources at Jessore traffic department. As the main Bablatola Bridge became unusable five years ago, authorities set a bailey bridge on it and hung a signboard on both sides warning heavy vehicles not to use it. The railing at one side has been damaged and there are several cracks on the lower portion of the bridge. Another signboard of the Roads and Highways Department, hung at Barandipara Bridge termed the bridge as a damaged one and imposed restriction on plying of heavy vehicles there. The big hole at the middle part of the bridge was repaired with steel sheets but there are still some small holes. Restriction on plying of heavy vehicles on the two bridges is hardly followed as there is no alternative route. "We have sent two separate projects to the ministry concerned to build new bridges -- a Tk 3 crore 60 lakh project for Bablatola Bridge and Tk 3 crore project for Barandipara Bridge. We will erect a bailey bridge on Barandipara Bridge in a short time," said Emdadul Hossain, executive engineer of Jessore Roads and Highways Department.