OUR CORRESPONDENT
GOPALGANJ, Feb 23: Construction work of Ghaga Dhalytala Bridge over the Madhumati River at a cost of Tk973million (Tk97.30 crore) on the Gopinathpur RHD-Ghaga Dhalytala Road in Gopalganj district, is progressing at a snail's pace.
According to the Department of Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), Gopalganj took possession of 5.52 acres of land on both sides of the Madhumati River on October 30, 2020
at Ghaga Dhalytala and opposite side Katakhali in Gopalganj Sadar upazila and Lohagara upazila of Narail district. Of the total 5.52 acres, 3.97 acres fell in Gopalganj part and 1.55 acres in Narail part.
The LGED sources added the bridge measures 788.70 meters (2585 feet) in length and 9.8 meters (32 feet) in width. About 54 per cent of the total project work, including eighteen spans,
11 piers, two abutments,
40 pc girders and eight box girders, has been
completed so far.
Md Mayenuddin (Bashi) Ltd. & M/S. Hamim International (JV) of Jessore was awarded the work order and started the construction work on November 23, 2020 under the supervision of LGED, Gopalganj.
The government of Bangladesh will provide fund for the bridge construction project to be implemented by the Ministry of Local Government at an estimated cost Tk973million (Tk97.30 crore). When contracted, Jahid Hasan, upazila engineer, LGED, Gopalganj Sadar, told the FE construction work of the bridge is going on but its completion is being delayed due to complexity over land accusation.
"Although three years' time is mentioned in the schedule and by this time, the contractor has extended the time twice, I think the work will be finished by December of the current year (2025)," said the upazila engineer.
Maruf Fakir, union chairman of Jalalabad union under Gopalganj Sadar said, "Construction work of the Ghaga Dhalytaka Bridge is going on very much slowly. I don't know the reason but people in this region have been facing a big problem for the delay in incompletion of the work; because every day about 3,000 to 3,500 wayfarers move on the road and across the Madhumati River." Md Ehsanul Haque, executive engineer, LGED, Goaplganj, told the FE that 54 per cent of the work on Ghaga Dhalytaka Bridge has already been completed while rest of the project work may be completed by December this year.
"We are closely monitoring the project work and side by side trying to strictly maintain standard of the work. But I think we may be able to open the bridge for traffic by December this year," he said.
Farhad Hossain, surveyor of Md Moyenuddin (Bashi) Ltd. & M/S. Hamim International (JV), told this correspondent, "Due to land accusation complexity, it is not being possible to do the bridge work smoothly. But I think by December 30 this year the work will be finished."
Habibur Rahman Sikder (42), a jute trader of Eachhakhali village under Jalalabad union of Gopalganj Sadar upazila, said people in this region very much eagerly wait to carry all kinds of materials including agricultural produce over the newly-constructed bridge, which will save their time and money.
alimuzzaman81@gmail.com
