Rajganj, 12th November: Residents of the Sahebbari area in Belakoba are risking their lives every day while crossing the dilapidated iron bridge over the Talma River. The bridge has been in a state of disrepair for several years and is at significant risk of collapsing at any moment.
Reportedly, the bridge was constructed several years ago over the Talma River in Shikarpur Gram Panchayat. However, over the years, the bridge has severely deteriorated. The iron pillars supporting the bridge have corroded, and the railing has broken off. Due to its condition, the Jalpaiguri Zilla Parishad has prohibited heavy vehicles from being operated on the bridge. However, the structure is fragile enough to shake even when light vehicles like bicycles or-e-rickshaws cross it.
Local residents reported that the bridge has been in this state for several years. The corrosion of the iron pillars poses severe risk to the commuters. The Zilla Parishad’s restriction on heavy vehicles has helped reduce the strain. However, thousands of people use the bridge everyday to commute between villages. As a result, residents are now demanding the immediate reconstruction of the bridge to prevent any untoward incidents.
Rajganj MLA Khageswar Roy has assured the public that work on the bridge will soon commence. He added that several bridge projects in Rajganj are already underway. The tender for this bridge will be finalized by December, and work will commence in January.