People of 4 unions suffer as work on bridge stalled
Left incomplete after construction of a few pillars two years ago, this bridge over Boral River at Gunaigachha village in Faridpur uapzila of Pabna district remains a mockery to a large number of people in four unions of surrounding areas. Photo: STAR
The construction work of a bridge on the Boral River at Gunaigachha village in Faridpur upazila under the district has remained suspended for over two years, much to the sufferings of over two lakh people of four unions in the surrounding areas. According to the technical report of the LGED, the bridge would ease communication from BL Bari and Pungoli unions of Faridpur upazila, Dilpashra union of Bhangura upazila and Mohanpur union of Ullapara upazila to Faridpur upazila headquarters. The bridge would also help establish direct communication with Sirajganj district, sources said. The construction work of the 180-metre-long concrete bridge costing Tk 5.1 crore started on April 2 in 2008 as LGED gave the work order to Golam Mohammed Co. Ltd, the lowest bidder of a tender called in March 2008, on condition of finishing the work within August 10 in 2009, said the sources of Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). But the contractors left the work after building four pillars on both sides of the river, completing only 30 percent of the total work, said an official of LGED. "The construction firm left the work after drawing Tk 1.54 crore and so, the fund was stopped. Despite sending several notices, the firm has not resumed the work while the scheduled time for construction ended in 2009," said Faridpur upazila LGED Engineer Md Imtazur Rahman. On the other hand, Md Saidul Haque Chunnu, one of the owners of the construction firm, said, “We finished the primary work and collected a running bill. But we had to suspend the work as the LGED authorities stopped funding. Due to the price hike of construction materials, we requested the authorities to increase the fund but they did not respond positively." Faridpur upazila LGED Engineer Md Imtazur Rahman said, "The construction firm left the work during the bidding year without any reason. So there is no scope to increase the construction value now." During a recent visit by this correspondent, locals said a large number of people work in several hundred dairy firms in the area but the farm owners have to depend on the river route for transporting milk and dairy products to the upazila headquarters and the Milk Vita Zone in Sirajganj district. “If the bridge is constructed, our communication and the transportation of milk and dairy products would be easier,” Md Anwar Hossain, a resident of BL Bari village of the upazila, said. Faridpur Upazila Parishad Chairman Md Johurul Islam Bakul said at least two lakh people of the area are badly suffering due to non-completion of the bridge. Asked about the matter, the executive engineer of LGED, Pabna, Md Abdul Kader said, “On March 22, we issued a final notice to the construction firm, ordering them to finish the construction work within December this year. If the firm fails, we will cancel the contract with them and go for re-tender.”
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