Mirzarpool Bridge
Delay in construction causes suffering to commuters
Pedestrians cross a makeshift bridge over Mirza canal on the Panchlaish-Muradpur road. Vehicular movement on the road remained suspended for the last eight months due to delay in construction of a bridge over the canal, causing immense suffering to the commuters. Photo: STAR
Vehicular movement on the Panchlaish-Muradpur road in the city remained suspended for last eight months due to delay in construction of a 60-foot bridge on the Mirza canal, causing sufferings to thousands of commuters everyday. Plying of heavy vehicles along the road stopped in the middle of 2008 when crack developed in the bailey bridge, popularly known as Mirzarpool Bridge. However, movement of light vehicles continued till construction of the bridge started in July last year. The bailey bridge constructed by Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) in 1992 at a cost of Tk 92 lakh became unusable within eight years. The authorities concerned put up iron bars on both the ends to limit vehicular movement on the bridge in 2001 due to dilapidated condition of the bridge. Since then the bridge was repaired for thrice to allow limited movement of vehicles until it was removed for construction of a four-lane pre-stressed bridge last year. Mezba Associates, a construction firm, got the work order to build the bridge involving Tk 3.25 crore, CCC sources said. The firm started construction in July last year after removing the old bailey bridge, forcing the vehicles to travel several times higher distance using diverted route of narrow and twisting lanes and by-lanes in densely populated areas. Thousands of people from Hathazari, Fatikchari and Raozan as well as from Rangamati and Khagrachhari face difficulties when enter the city for the under-construction bridge. Residents of both sides of the road, including Sugandha residential area, are the most sufferers as they have no alternative way of vehicular movement. Dr Sharmila Chowdhury said they are to face intolerable sufferings everyday when they go to the workplaces and return home as the authorities broke the bailey bridge without keeping alternative way of vehicular movement. Dr Sharmila said she uses the busy Muradpur-GEC route that takes more than half an hour to reach her clinic at Probortak due to lack of any alternative way. People from Panchlaish intersection and Chawkbazar areas were using the adjoining Abdul Hamid road as an alternative way to go to Muradpur Road. But it also remained for last three months since piling of a pillar of the bridge started on the southern side of the canal. Patients from Muradpur, Mohammadpur, Bibirhat, Hamjerbag, Aturer Depot, Oxygen and northern parts of the district are to cross long routes through Sholoshahar 2 No. Gate or GEC intersection to reach Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH). Shimul, a resident of Sugandha residential area, said it is really unfortunate that a 60-foot bridge could not be built in seven months. Engineer Delwar Hossain Majumder of Mezba Associates attributed the delay to numerous power supply lines and water, gas and telephone lines running beneath the canal. He said it took longer time to remove electric poles, make new alignment and shift power supply lines in several phases. Shifting of underground gas and water supply lines also hindered the construction work while shifting of telephone lines is still going on, Delwar added. Eviction of structures to widen the bridge also caused the delay, he said. "However, the authorities concerned and local leaders helped us a lot to continue the work even during shifting of these power, gas, water and telephone lines," he said. "Construction of such pre-stressed bridge also takes a longer time than that of normal bridges," he said. "However, we have completed piling work with required load testing, capping of 48 pillars and we are now proceeding with girders of the bridge," he said, adding that they are making sincere efforts to complete the bridge, causing the least inconvenience to the people. "With the complex and time-consuming work almost done, we hope to complete the bridge before June," he said. CCC Chief Engineer Abul Hasnat blamed removal and shifting of power lines and underground water, gas and telephone lines for the delay. "However, construction is going on in full swing and it might be completed as per the schedule," Hasnat said.
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