Tk 6.9m bridge sans an approach road remains unused

LALMONIRHAT, Oct 07 (UNB): Despite completion, a concrete bridge built at the cost of Tk 6.9 million (69 lakh) over Itapota canal in Sadar upazila of Lalmonirhat district has not been fully functional for over one year due to no approach road on both sides.
During a recent visit to the bridge site, this correspondent found that there are no connecting roads on either side of the bridge as the contractor left it abandoned.
According to the Sadar upazila project implementation sources, the 50 ft long and 14 ft wide bridge over the Itapota canal was constructed at a cost of Tk 68,68,703 under the Disaster Management Department in 2021-22 fiscal year.
The construction work was finished in May, 2022, but the contractor firm has not handed over the project to the authorities concerned yet. About 80 per cent payment of the total project has been made to the contractor.
Local people have made a bamboo bridge on both sides of the concrete bridge to use it which is also at risk of collapse any time.
Some 15,000 people of Itapota, Bangram, Chararpar, Kharua and Bumka villages are using the bamboo bridge every day, putting their lives at risk.
Sahara Begum said, "A concrete bridge was built over the canal but the authorities concerned did not build an approach road to use it. We, with our children, have to cross the bamboo bridge first to use the concrete bridge, which is strenuous for us."