PM to open 2nd Mohananda Bridge tomorrow

CHAPAINAWABGANJ, May 14 (BSS): The ordeal of over half a million people of seven unions of Sadar upazila of the district is going to be over as the much-awaited second Mohananda Bridge on the Mohananda river will open to traffic tomorrow (Saturday).
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to inaugurate the 546.60 metre-long and 8.10 metre-wide pre-stressed girder bridge fulfilling the demand of the people of the neglected char lands.
As per the demand of the people, the Awami League government during its previous tenure took the initiative for constructing the bridge. Subsequently, the Prime Minister laid its foundation stone on April 23, 2011.
The bridge with an approach road of 2,400 metres has been constructed in Saheber Ghat area under Chapainawabganj Sadar upazila at a cost of Tk 497.9 million.
The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) implemented the project, while Navana Construction Limited constructed the bridge. Apart from the main bridge, there are two small bridges on the approach road.
With the inauguration of the bridge, more than 0.5 million people of seven unions of Sadar upazila -- Islampur, Devinagar, Charbagdanga, Shahjahanpur, Alatuli, Narayanpur and Sundarpur -- which remain isolated from the upazila and district headquarters will immensely benefit from it.
Sources said it will also remove the sufferings of the students and teachers of 85 government and non-government primary schools, 20 high schools, 10 dakhil madrasas, two colleges and employees of a number of NGO offices situated in the seven unions.
About 15 to 20 thousand people visit the district headquarters every day crossing the Mohananda river by boats, and 80 per cent agricultural land of these unions is covered with mango orchards.