ROVING CORRESPONDENT
BOGURA, Nov 09: Two bridges on Santahar-Bonarpara railway track are at serious risk of collapse.
The bridges are the Chelopara Bridge (F-25) built on the Karatoa river and the Middle Dighalkandi Chakia Bridge (F-45) built on the Bangali river between Vellurpara and Syed Ahmed College Station under Sonatola upazila.
Although the lifespan of the bridges built during the British period expired long ago, no steps have been taken to repair them.
The bridges constructed of brick masonry with a mixture of lime and brick chips have a maximum lifespan of 60 years, but they are almost 120 years old. Every day trains pass the bridges despite the risk.
The railway officials said the girders on the bridge have been weakened but are still not being repaired.
Only when horrible events like the movement of the earth from the bottom of the pillars are catching the eyes of the public, are the initiatives taken to repair the bridges.
"The bridges shake especially when the fast-moving inter-city train run on those," said passenger Kalam Uddin.
He said, "A fatal accident can happen at any time. But, they have to operate at the risk of life as there is no alternative to the train at the scheduled time and at certain destinations."
According to Railway Engineering branch, construction of the railway started in the northern part of the state since 1892. Sonamtala, Gabtali, Sadar, Kahalu, Dupachanchia and Adamdighi Upazilas of Bogura district are considered as under the western part of Lalmonirhat division.
The old bridges have become too risky for trains.
A pillar of the Chocchokoria Bridge between Sukhanpur and Vellurpara railway station collased recently. It took more than 24 hours to repair the bridge. Until that time, train movement had to be stopped.
Similarly, a railway bridge has to be repaired and renovated on the Bengali river at Mahimaganj in Gaibandha district. Officials said the girders had become weak due to a railway bridge built hundreds of years ago on the Karatoa river east of the Bogura Railway Station.
Abdul Hamid, master of Sonatala Station of Bogura, said 16 inter-city, mail and local trains operate on the route. Of these, four pairs of inter-city trains including Dhaka-Lalmonirhat-Lalmoni Express, Dhaka-Rangpur-Rangpur Express, Dalanchampa Express from Santahar and Lalmonirhat-going Kartoa Express from Santahar.
He said that people from six districts including Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Joypurhat, Dinajpur, Gaibandha and Bogura, from north Bengal, travel by train to various places of the country including Dhaka.
Abu Raihan, an employee of Sonatola Upazila Parishad who regularly used to travel on the Sonatala-Bogura route of the district, said that there are multiple trains on the 20 km railway line.
When the train picks up on the bridge built on the Karatoa River near Bogura station, the whole bridge seems to shake, he added.
Mithu Mia, driver of Lalmoni Express, which runs Dhaka-Lalmonirhat route, said there was no opportunity for them to slow the train no matter the condition of the bridge. They have no directive to lower or exceed the speed limit, he said.
Assistant Executive Engineer of Railways Bogura, Abu Masud said, "The girders on the west side of the Chelopara Bridge, built on the Karatoa river of Bogura, are in a very fragile state. Because all the dirty waste at Fateh Ali and Rajabazar is dumped near that bridge.
It has damaged a long-standing girder. Moreover, the sleepers that pedestrians use under has become unusable. Although one of the girders of the Chokcholia Bridge has been built wiyj RCC, the other three are still at risk.
Meanwhile, senior officials have inspected the bridge.
A report has been sent to the Chief Engineer of Railways seeking the guidance immediately. Action will be taken only when directions are given, they said.
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