[ Karda Natam ]
DAPORIJO, 23 Feb: The Silin Valley Peoples’ Welfare Forum (SVPWF) has expressed resentment towards the Upper Subansiri district administration and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) for not meeting the forum’s demand to have the dilapidated Tajina bridge over the Subansiri river repaired.
The bridge is in a pathetic condition for the last many years, despite the matter having been brought to the notice of the department concerned and the district administration, the SVPWF said.
In several letters to the Upper Subansiri deputy commissioner, the forum said that “the dilapidated Tajina bridge is posing serious threat
to the public, as it is feared that the bridge might collapse at any time.”
The bridge connects 52 villages in Paying circle.
The forum had in June last year registered a complaint with the DC, and reminded the latter of the same in January this year, “but no positive response was received against the complaint,” it said.
On 12 February, the SVPWF lodged a complaint over the bridge’s condition with the BRO’s Naharlagun-based Project Arunank chief engineer, requesting the officer to “maintain and upgrade the bridge for load capacity for up to 28 tonnes,” it said, and added that no response has been received yet.
The Tajina bridge was constructed in 2001 by the PWD, and was handed over to the BRO in 2007. “Since then, no maintenance has been done on the bridge, leading to the deteriorating condition of the bridge,” the forum alleged.
It added: “Owing to the bad condition of the bridge, many central and state government schemes could not be implemented as machinery, including trucks, backhoe loaders, rollers, excavators, etc, could not be transported due to the weak bridge, and 52 villages remain deprived of all modern infrastructure for the last many years.”
The forum demanded “renovation of the bridge within two months; upgrading the bridge to support a load capacity of 28 tonnes; and compensating all PMGSY road contractors who were unable to complete their PMGSY road and met with financial losses.”
It said that it would knock the door of the judiciary if its demands are not met.
