Khan Jahan Ali Bridge opens today - Golden prospect for Mongla port
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Khan Jahan Ali Bridge opens today
Zahid Hossain
KHULNA, May 20 :-Rupsha bridge which has already been named as Khan Jahan
Ali bridge is the result of fifty years long movement waged by the people of
Khulna. Demand was raised repeatedly since the Pakistan period to construct
a bridge over the river Rupsha and promise was given time and again but
political parties didn't keep their commitment.
The political parties played hide and seek to take the taste of power
exploiting the heart-felt demand of the people. They exploited the aspirant
lakhs of people of southern region to get votes over the years. At last
their waiting is going to be ended. This bridge will usher a golden prospect
for the Mongla Port and its hinterland. With the opening of this bridge,
direct road communication with the northern parts of the country including
capital will be established.
This bridge will contribute in the economic upliftment of this region, which
was long deprived. Hectic activities in Mongla Port will be augmented with
the opening of Khan Jahan Ali bridge to vehicular traffics. Dynamism in
trade and commerce will take place.
The present Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia laid the foundation stone of
Rupsha Bridge in 1994. Awami League Khulna City unit President Talukder
Abdul Khaleq MP claimed that the BNP Government laid the foundation stone of
this bridge aiming at gaining cheap popularity with the help of political
mischief and deceit, as it was not made then any plan to build the bridge
and no land was acquired. As Awami League came to power in 1996, the then
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took all out steps to show respect to the
people's demand and sought direct assistance to Japanese Government to
construct a bridge over Rupsha river.
Japanese Government assured to give necessary help. On return to the
country, she took necessary preparation to construct the bridge. Engineering
of plan, feasibility study, fixing the site of the bridge, land acquisition
and allocation of fund were done fast by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Later
construction work of the bridge was started by her On Wednesday May 30,
2001, the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated the
construction work of Rupsha Bridge.
Greater Khulna Unnayan Sangram Samannya Committee Secretary General Sheikh
Ashrafuzzaman said that a long-awaited dream of the people of this region
was going to be implemented with the opening of Rupsha Bridge today.
But the necessity on which the bridge was constructed to make the Mongla
Port functional, but it is irony of fate that Mongla Port is now on the
threshold of ruin. Rupsha Bridge will lose its economic importance if Mongla
Port is not made functional immediately and deep-sea port at Akram point is
not constructed. The days to come will prove that the need for rail line in
the Rupsha Bridge will be felt.
Sheikh Ashraf thanked the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to commence the
construction of Rupsha Bridge and also thanked the present Prime Minister
Begum Khaleda Zia to continue the works of the bridge.
Details of Khan Jahan Ali Bridge : Road lights on 2.50 km on either side of
the bridge have been set up. Construction works to the by pass road on the
western side of the bridge linking Khulna-Satkhira high way has been
completed. This works comprise 42 per cent of by pass road works. It is
expected that the total works will be completed within the next one year.
Other necessary works including the bridge itself has been done hundred per
cent.
Rupsha bridge project manager Taposh Kumar Paul said that the Government had
already fixed the toll charge for the vehicles plying over the Rupsha
Bridge. For each plying tailor Truck, heavy truck, Tk. 650, tailor truck
carrying constructions materials Tk. 160, bus, truck, covered van/truck (2/3
exel) Tk.150, mini truck, minibus, trucktor, coaster Tk.100, maxi, microbus,
pick-up, pick-van Tk.50, station wagon, jeep, car Tk. 30, tempo, mishuk,
baby taxi Tk.20 and motor cycle Tk.5.
The then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated the construction
works of the bridge on May 30, 2001 from the begining the construction
period was three years and six months. It means that the contract between
the Government and the construction firm was for three and half years. So
the construction work of the bridge was scheduled to be completed within
November last. But the works was not completed for different problems.
Attack of the extortionists, labour unrest caused the construction works of
the bridge to stop. Earlier on May 16, the Government signed an agreement
with the Japanese Construction Farm Simiju ITD joint venture to construct
the Rupsha Bridge. On the Khulna-Mongla high way over the Rupsha River,
their is the villege Lobonchara on the west side and villege Jabusha on
eastern side of the river. About four and half year back there was the green
village. Now the people there look with wonder at the Rupsha Bridge. After
the opening, it will be one of the visiting sites in Khulna.
The Rupsha bridge project has been implemented by Roads and High way
Directorate, Roads and Railway Department and Ministry of Communication. It
was financed with soft loan by JBIC, a Japanese Company. Consultants of the
bridge is Pacific Consultants International, sister concerns were JOC, CES
and DDC.
Primarily its construction cost was estimated at Tk. 442 crore but it was
later increased to Tk. 491 crore. The total construction cost of the bridge
including the 8.68km approach road on either side of the bridge stood at Tk.
724 crore and 15 lakh.
75.289 hectare of lands were acquired to build the bridge. 8.68km long link
road is on either side on of the 1360m long Rupsha bridge. the bridge is
16.65m wide including 1.25m side walk on either side. The four-lane deck of
the bridge will pave the way for smooth movement of the traffics. Among them
two lanes are for the high-speed vehicles and two for low-speed vehicles. At
either side of the bridge ramp is erected for the bicycles.
The main bridge is constructed on 7 spans supported by 8 piers. Each span is
70m long having 88RCC bored piles. The diameter of the bored piles each
2500m, length 55m to 75m. There is 22 piers on either side of the main
bridge and 24 spans. There is 208RCC bored piles. Diameter of each bored
pile is 900mm, length is 25m to 57m including 2 abartments. There is
special security measures in the 8 piers of the bridge. According to the
Project manager, the piers are well fortified to prevent any errant
watercraft to hit the piers. This is the first protection system
installation in any bridge in the country. Seismic prevention has also been
set in the bridge which is 80m above the sea level. The vast infrastructure
of the bridge is built on the concrete beneath 70m to 72m in the 50ft. deep
Rupsha river.
An NGO in the name of Rural Development Movement (RDM) is working for the
people who are affected for the construction of Rupsha bridge. Some
ecological changes have already been seen due to the construction of Rupsha
bridge. Water flow gets impeded in the piers of the bridge and the stream
lessens. Consequently silt covers the river basin and navigability reduces
geometrically.
Torpedo
http://www.bangladeshobserveronline.com/new/2005/05/21/district.htm
Money, muscle, pol influence of transport owners ruin causes
Lives of thousands of water route passengers in danger
From Our Correspondent
BARISAL, May 20-Even afper repeated efforts taken by different government
authorities including Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA),
lives and properties of the lakhs of people in the country, particularly the
water transport passengers in the vast southern region, still remain
endangered.
The passenger launch owners and staffs blessed by ruling parties are always
going on with their whims and looking after their business interests only,
it is alleged from different quarters.
Hundreds of water transports including passenger carrying launches,
trawlers, engine boats and other vessels are plying in different water
routes ignoring the directions of laws and with out trained manpower and
modern transport plying and life saving equipments.
Money, muscle and political influences of the water transport owners and
staff work behind the unauthorized plying of these vessels.
Most of them have no approved structural designs, valid survey and fitness
certificates, even route permits. They have no life insurance or accident
insurance for the benefits of the victimized passengers.
Untrained and unskilled 'Sareng','Drivers' and 'Sukani's operate these
passenger water transports without necessary fire fighting equipments, life
buoys and life boats, mechanized wheel and control, wireless communication,
first aid box and other emergency items.
Thus they cannot help the passengers in any dangerous situation and at the
times of any natural calamities.
According to BIWTA and other official sources, some 8,200 vessels are plying
on inland river routes and some 1,800 vessels are plying in sea routes after
taking Route Oermits with proper registrations from the competent
authorities.
However about 14,500 other watercrafts are plying in n both river and sea
routes haveing no proper registrations and permits.
Usually the watercraft owners refuse to get their vessels registered, as
they do not build those fulfilling the requirements of vessel construction
and structural technologies and laws, it is alleged.
Technological designing of a passenger carrying watercraft is much different
than that of traditional one as the former involves costs. As a result, the
faulty vessels remain vulnerable to various destinations and natural
calamities.
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