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15 years over, will Borodaha Bridge at all be finished?

REZAUL HOQUE, Gaibandha
Borodaha Bridge over Katakahali River in Gobindagnaj upazila has remained incomplete for long 15 years, despite original plan to complete it within two years from start of the project in 1994-95 fiscal year.
Both dilly-dallying by the authorities concerned and the river's repeated change in direction due to the whim of nature are responsible for the situation, said locals and officials concerned.
The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) in 1994 undertook a plan to construct a bridge over Katakhali River flowing between Borodaha and Kazla villages.
In addition to reducing the distance between Gaibandha and the capital by 18 kilometres, the bridge would help establish direct road link between Gaibandha Sadar and Gobindagnaj upazilas, relieving locals of additional 22 kilometre journey via Palashbari upazila.
The authority allocated a fund of Tk 3 crore 66 lakh for construction of the four-span bridge in 1994-95 fiscal year, but the work started in 1997 due to delay in fund release.
After completion of only 30 percent work, the river widened as the water course changed its direction toward Kazla village, necessitating an immediate change in the bridge design and additional fund allocation for bank protection.
After wasting much time, RHD later forwarded a revised proposal for allocation of additional fund of Tk one crore 34 lakh, changing the design of bridge with another span in 2003-04 fiscal year. Soon after the approval of the proposal, the Katakhali River again changed its direction towards Borodaha village where serious erosion left the earlier complete three span infrastructure of the bridge in the mid-river.
Higher authorities of RHD engaged Institute of Water Modelling, a Dhaka-
based a consulting firm, for a feasibility study and report on Borodaha bridge.
After survey, the firm suggested constructing an additional span at the southern part and bank protection work on both the sides. Meanwhile erosion stopped at Kazla village and a large shoal emerged on the river.
As the then existing contractor of bridge declined to start further work, the RHD cancelled the work order and called fresh tender for the bridge in 2008 with an estimated budget of Tk 12 crore 33 lakh 28 thousand.
The lowest bidder, MBEL-MSC joint venture construction firm got the work order but the authorities recently cancelled the order as the firm did not even start the work by June 30 this year, the stipulated time for completion of the work, on the plea of high price of construction materials.
Arrangement is being made to call a fresh tender, said M M Selim, executive engineer of RHD in Gaibandha.