SIRAJGANJ, Oct 06: Passengers inevitably have to undergo a frightful experience while making train journey along a particular stretch in Ullapara upazila of the district because of two bridges lying dilapidated for a long time.
Some 20 trains including Dhaka- Kolkata Maitree Express run over the bridges- one at Bankirat and another at Mohishakhola Kamarpara of the upazila- braving serious risks of accident.
The bridges were built during the British period considering interest of several thousand people commuting in the western and eastern regions, including Chattogram division.
Trains plying the routes from Lalmonithat, Rangpur, Sayedpur, Dinajpur, Panchagarh, Gaibandha, Bogura, Natore and Sirajganj districts to Dhaka and Chittagong district via Ullapara have to cross these shaky bridges amid serious risks of accident any moment.
To avoid risks of accident, the railway authorities have recently done temporary repair work by propping up the damaged portions of the bridges with iron bars and wood sleepers.
Meanwhile, the authorities have engaged men to control speed of the approaching trains while going over the rundown bridges.
Consequently, trains have to run at speed of average 20 kilometers per hour while crossing the bridges whereas the designated speed limit there is 80 to 120 kilometers per hour.
A passenger, Md Nizam Sheikh,60, son of late Mutraj Ali Sheilkh under Gaibandha district said every week he has to go to Dhaka by train crossing the outworn bridges risking life.
He has called upon the authorities concerned to take immediate measures to repair the bridges immediately.
Assistant station master of Ullapara Md Rafiqul Islam said the railway from Sirajganj to Iswardi upazila was installed during the British period.
Upon being century-old, the bridges have already lost their durability, he added.
The station official also said some 14 enter-city trains run over the bridges carrying over 10,000 passengers a day and six oil, coal and goods caring trains move on them taking risk.
Divisional Manager of Pakshi Railway Station Ahsan Ullah Bhuiyan said during monsoon, high tidal waves of Chalan Beel hit the bridges severely causing severe damage.
After floodwater starts receding, they will take measures for permanent repair of the bridges, he added.
Chief Engineer of Railway Western Zone (Rajshahi) Al Fattah Md Masudur Rahman said, "We have engaged men to control speed of trains at the damaged portions of the bridges."
