Patna: The 140-year-old Ulta Pul, an abandoned foot overbridge over the Bhagalpur railway station was in the news recently because it collapsed over a train killing 33 people.
But there are many other bridges in the state that are in serious need of repair and that authorities have so far turned a blind eye to.
The Jhanjharpur Railway Bridge in Darbhanga may look dilapidated, but officially the bridge is still a fully operational one.
And it's not just trains that use the bridge. There are buses, trucks and even rickshaws that ply on it everyday.
The bridge with broken tracks can give in anytime and cause a major accident. Local residents say they have alerted railway authorities about the severely rundown state of the bridge, but there's been no reaction as yet.
“Its condition is going from bad to worse by the day. There can be an accident anyday. They must reconstruct the bridge,” says a resident, Sanjay Singh.
Meanwhile, another bridge, close to Bhagalpur tells another tale of neglect. Residents say they are worried everytime a train crosses the bridge.
“There can be an accident anytime. They must repair the bridge,” a resident of Bhagalpur, Kundan Kumar says.
However, Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar promises that the government will do whatever it takes to repair the bridge.
“Locals use this as a thoroughfare. We've decided to repair it. We'll do whatever is required,” says Nitish Kumar.
But the Union Railways Minister is still to decide on the course of action.
“I will see the bridges first then I will decide what needs to be done,” says Union Railways Minister, Lalu Prasad Yadav.
So while the authorities move at their own pace, the rickety bridges in Bihar are fast becoming a serious threat to the safely of passengers and local residents.
Comments
0 comment