Our Correspondent, Patuakhali: Construction of the bridge over the Lohalia river on the Patuakhali-Dashmina road has not been completed even after 10 years.
The structural work of the 576-metre bridge, near Patuakhali town, started in 2012.
But since then, the delay increased public suffering as well as significantly escalated the cost of construction.
In 2012, Patuakhali Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) took the initiative to construct a 107-metre steel bridge over the Lohalia, flanked by concrete structures at both ends.
In the initial stages, the height of the bridge was to be 7.3 metres, while the construction cost was estimated at Tk 46.45 crore.
In 2014, with almost 54 percent of the construction work already done, Payra seaport authorities raised objections about the height of the bridge, and the work remained suspended for years.
In 2019, LGED took up the unfinished work under a new project, by increasing the height of the bridge to 13.5-metre, and it was scheduled to be completed in December 2020.
But due to the Covid-19 pandemic and a few other reasons, the construction cost of the bridge has been increased by up to Tk 7.09 crore, while the deadline for completion of the construction work was rescheduled for June this year.
Meanwhile, construction work of other parts of the bridge has been completed, except the 107-metre-long steel structure over the middle of the river.
Patuakhali LGED Executive Engineer Mohammad Latif Hossain said construction of the concrete infrastructure of the bridge has already been completed and the installation of the steel structure is going to start soon.
According to a decision at a recent inter-ministerial meeting, all the waterway routes of the Lohalia river will remain closed from November 1 to January 31 due to the installation work, he said,
He added that the bridge is expected to be fully functional by June next year. Once the bridge is opened to traffic, it will connect Baufal, Galachipa and Dashmina upazilas with the district headquarters, locals said.
Private firm China Harzone Industry Corporation Limited got the work order to construct the steel structure, with a cost of Tk 21.17 crore.
Dashmina’s Betagi-Sankipur Union Parishad Chairman Moshiur Rahman Jhantu said in the absence of a bridge, thousands of people of nearby areas have to go to the district town by crossing the Lohalia on boats.
