Siliguri, 29th February: The residents of Bharatnagar and Madhya Shantinagar in Wards 24 and 36 of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation are facing difficulties commuting due to the dilapidated condition of the approach road at the bridge over the Jorapani River.
Notably, the bridge was established about 8 years ago for commuters to easily travel across the river. However, 8 years later, the residents had to climb the concrete pieces to get on the bridge and travel to the other side. As a result, they urged the restoration work of a bridge to resolve the dispute.
According to reports, the bridge is three feet higher than the surrounding road. Compounding the issue, locals are facing difficulties in commuting due to the dilapidated approach road. Significantly, in the Madhya Shantinagar neighbourhood, locals have made provisions to cross the bridge by laying pieces of concrete beside it forming a staircase-like structure. However, this leads to frequent accidents in the area posing a threat to the public.
In this regard, Ward No. 36 Councillor Ranjan Sil Sharma claimed that the North Bengal Development Department (NBDD) has been alerted about the situation and that the restoration work will begin soon.