Photo shows the broken part of Badiyakhali-Talukjamira road in Badiyakhali union of Gaibandha Sadar Upazila — FE Photo GAIBANDHA, July 02: Accident takes place frequently when vehicles ply on a precarious culvert built in Sardagari bill under Badiyakhali union of Sadar Upazila of the district.
The culvert is well known to locals as 'Fachhir Gate' because after the construction of the culvert, a person named Fachi Akanda of this area performed the duty of supervision of the culvert.
The culvert also had a separate room on the southeast side for his stay. After going to the surface, the soil on the western side of the bridge sank under the pressure of the heavy flood in 2019.
And the whole culvert cracked in different places on all four sides. Since then, the ruptured bridge has become more vulnerable as it has not been repaired.
As Talukjamira road is the only means of communication between Badiyakhali and Gobindganj and Palashbari upazilas, various vehicles, including bicycles, motorcycles, vans, auto-rickshaws and trucks, ply. Due to this, accident occurs every day.
Therefore, local residents and the victims who travel on this road have requested the intervention of the authorities concerned to rebuild the culvert and make it suitable for traffic.
Auto-van driver Apel Akand, who travels through this road daily for his livelihood, said that two days ago a schoolgirl slipped from her motorcycle while going to her school due to waterlogging.
Also many small and big accidents are happening. If someone slips and falls down, chances of survival are very thin, he said.
Rafiqul Islam, a businessman of Taluk Jamira Bazar of Palashbari Upazila who travels through this road six times day and night, said, "I travel through this road six times."
"When it rains, almost people fall from the cars that slip here. I also fell for two days."
According to the Gaibandha District Water Development Board, an irrigation and drainage project titled Sardagari Drainage Project was built in Chakbarul area in 1956-1960 under EP Wapda to solve the waterlogging of Sardagari Bill of Sadar Upazila and surrounding areas.
About 3,637 hectares of land in that area will be benefited in the said project. There are a 09-km canal and two culverts in this project.
Md Jelal Akand, member of Ward 8 under Badiyakhali Union, said the culvert has been risky for a long time. And in 2019, due to the pressure of floodwater, the soil on the western side of the culvert sank, causing further complications. So, the culvert needs to be rebuilt soon.
Mofizal Akand, son of late Fachi Akand, who was responsible for supervision of the culvert, said, "My father was looking after the culvert since its construction. It has been almost 5 years that the bridge has burst on all four sides due to the pressure of flood water.
"Due to this, light and fatal accidents are happening every day. The culvert needs to be rebuilt. I will fulfil that responsibility if I am given the duty of looking after it after it is built anew like my father."
Gaibandha Water Development Board Executive Engineer Md Hafizul Haque said the culvert built in Chakbarul area of Sardagari Bill was partially damaged under the influence of floods.
"We send designs from our office to rebuild this damaged culvert. We have already got the design. We will send proposals for its reconstruction within the next year's budget allocation."
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